A boxer competing at the Paris Olympics began his journey in an unlikely fashion: at a hip-hop dance class in Gosport.

Poland's Mateusz Bereznicki has taken a slightly winding route on the road to potential Olympic glory - but believes their experiences in other sports can help in the ring.

The 23-year-old heavyweight was enrolled in a hip-hop dance class by his mother as a child living in Gosport, which was where he met a coach from the Gosport Boxing Club at the age of 10.

"He (the coach) came to dancing practice because his daughter was there and he was picking her up," Bereznicki told Reuters.

"He asked me there if I would rather do boxing, and I hated dancing because my mum made me do it, so I said 'definitely'. That's how it started pretty much.

"I do move on my feet a lot, so maybe (dancing has helped me become a better boxer), but what I can tell you for sure is that I definitely was not any good at dancing."

Bereznicki will need his dancing shoes on if he hopes to avoid an early flight home from the Paris Olympics.

He is set to face European Games silver medallist Jack Marley of Ireland, who has beaten the Pole twice in the past two years, in his first bout today.

"I boxed Marley before, and I lost against him, but I know I'm a different boxer now," Bereznicki said.

"I'm definitely up for the fight. I'm looking forward to it, and I know it will be a tough fight, but I can win it, so I'm looking forward to it, 100 percent."