Russell Lamour Jr. knows the clock is ticking.

Lamour, a Portland resident and Deering High graduate, is one of the best-known members of the Portland Boxing Club, a former North American middleweight champion who holds a 16-3 professional record with eight knockouts. But he turns 37 in December and as much as he loves his sport, he realizes he needs to take the next step in his career soon.

“I think about it sometimes,” he said before a workout this week. “I know I need to win this fight. But at the same time, I’m ready. I’ve done all the work. I’ve done all the extra training. I’m ready.”

On Saturday night, Lamour will take on Argentinian champion Diego Adrian Marocchi (18-4-1, 14 knockouts) in a scheduled eight-round fight at the Portland Expo. He’ll be headlining the first boxing show at the Expo in two years.

“Obviously this is a very important fight for Russell if he’s going to move forward,” said his longtime trainer, Bob Russo. “He’s at the crossroads and he’s got to win these fights.”

The other featured bouts include William Foster (10-0, seven knockouts) of New Haven, Connecticut, against Jahmal Dyer (9-2, five knockouts) of Baltimore in an eight-rounder, and Casey Streeter (9-1-1, four knockouts) of Raymond against Miguel Angel Suarez (15-4, nine knockouts) of Buenos Aires in a six-rounder. It will be Streeter’s first fight since he suffered a near-fatal work-related accident in August 2018.

The undercard will feature two other professional fights and two amateur fights beginning at 7:30 p.m. Doors to the Expo will open at 6 p.m. Teddy Atlas, the Hall of Fame trainer and ESPN color analyst, will be on hand to sign autographs and pose for photos from 6 to 8 p.m.

Lamour, who has had only one fight in the last two years (a four-round TKO of Larry Smith of Dallas on Dec. 1, 2018, in Skowhegan), calls himself  “a young 36.” He’s been working with a new strength and conditioning coach, Peter Clark of Beyond Strength in Falmouth.

“He’s been helping me get stronger, faster, making me work even harder physically,” said Lamour. “I feel like I’m back to the shape that I used to be in. I feel good. I’m eating right. Weight’s coming off right. I feel strong. I’m ready right now. I want to fight right now.”

Russo said Marocchi, who is from Buenos Aires, will provide an interesting challenge for Lamour. Both are technically sound boxers, both like to move around. He wants Lamour to be more aggressive.

“It’s the same with Casey,” said Russo. “I think we’ve got to go after them and put pressure on them.”

Russo and Lamour have been working together for about 20 years and have gained great respect for each other.

“He pushes me,” said Lamour, who works as a corrections officer at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. “And if you have someone like that, pushing you all the time, you’re going to try your hardest. And that’s what he does. Even when I don’t see him, I know he’s watching me. So I’m going to try to put everything into it.”

Russo said it would be a mistake to think that Lamour is slowing down because of his age.

“Everyone does, to some degree,” said Russo. “But he’s quick-handed and a nice boxer. That’s his thing. He’s still a very good boxer.”

And Lamour has more to give.

“When things are not as good as they used to be, that’s when I’ll stop,” he said. “For now, I’m going to keep going.”