Nikki Bascome says he is not taking anything for granted despite boasting a superior record than Jamaican rival Kevin ‘Bus Boy’ Hylton.

The two professional fighters are scheduled to go toe-to-toe in a welterweight bout that will headline the Bermuda versus Jamaica fight card at The Shed, in Dockyard, on May 28.

“We watched footage of him and know what we are up against,” Bascome told The Royal Gazette. “From what I saw he’s a little bigger, and I just have to work hard and use my skills to beat him.

“I don’t take nobody for granted or underestimate nobody. I just try to focus on the best Nikki Bascome I can be in training.

“I am just practising on things that I want to use in the fight and to be the best me. That is all I am focusing on; being the best me and giving my best on the night.”

Bascome comes in with a record of 10-1 and Hylton, who last fought in 2019, at 7-7-1.

The 31-year-old secured a unanimous points decision against Canadian Dylan Rushton in his previous outing in the ring in the main event of the Fight Night Champion promotion at The Shed in January.

The orthodox fighter is presently in Las Vegas training under former IBO super-featherweight champion Jeff Mayweather, who is the uncle of five-times world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“The sparring here is a big difference from sparring in Bermuda because you are sparring with people you don’t know,” Bascome added. “It’s different styles and stuff and you never know who you are going to be sparring that day.

“You have loads of guys who are amateur and pros, and some of the amateurs have more experience than me, so it helps me either way.

“You have some amateurs with over 100 fights, so it’s a whole lot of experience that they have. Either way it helps me.”

Bascome says being in a different country also has its benefits.

“Just being in a different environment helps me as well,” he said. “Being away from home helps me as I can completely focus on training rather than dealing with everyday life in Bermuda; like running the gym, training people and things like that. I can completely focus on myself.

“The hardest part about it is being away from your family. But it’s a temporary sacrifice, so I am good.

“I know what I have to do. I do my running, my shadow boxing, bag work, speed ball. Everything that a boxer should do, I am doing and just staying focused watching fights and stuff. Everything is going good.”

Bascome is one of two local professionals competing at the upcoming event as Andre Lambe is scheduled to lock horns with Jamaica’s Dwayne Lawrence, also at welterweight, on the undercard.

The 26-year-old southpaw extended his unblemished record to 4-0 with an emphatic victory in his maiden headline bout against American Robinson at The Shed last month.