It works something like this:

You want to know cooking? Read Julia Child.

You want to know hitting? Watch Ted Williams.

You want to know boxing? Talk to Kent Ward.

And so when Ward, the ever entertaining boss of the Whaling City Athletic Club, says Cassius Chaney’s age — 35 — is plenty young enough to still win a major title, there will be no argument forthcoming from this corner.

“Age is less of a factor for heavyweights,” Ward was saying Monday night at Filomena’s during a meet-and-greet with Chaney, the Baltimore-bred but New London-led slugger with the 21-1 record, back in the ring Aug. 20 at Mohegan Sun Arena.

“Age is more of a factor in the lighter divisions,” Ward said. “A lot of heavyweights are 38-39 and really tough. The amount of movement they need to have as a 250-pound heavyweight is a little different than the guys at welterweight or lightweight. A whole different ballgame as far as that's concerned. If you’re training right, you can go for a while.”

Still, Chaney’s box-o-logical clock is ticking. Happily, he’s back home now, training with Ward and under the wing of veteran promoter Jimmy Burchfield of Classic Entertainment and Sports. Burchfield, a recent inductee into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, promoted Vinny Paz’s bouts at Foxwoods going back 30 years. He knows a good one when he sees one.

“Cassius is back home where he belongs,” Ward said. “He’s 21-1. He fights this fight here. The next fight after this one, I'd say would be three months away. The third fight out, in about a year, will be probably when you'll start to see him climb. He's going to be there. He's got the tools.”

Something else to know about Chaney: A nicer guy you will not find.

“I’m a business person. I put my money behind people who have it,” said Mike Buscetto, the colorful owner of Filomena’s. “Cassius isn’t just a great boxer, but a good dude. If he was a (jerk), I wouldn’t give him a dollar.”

Yes, there is room in the same sentence for “boxer” and “nice guy.” (We just typed it.) But is it practical, given the sport’s inherently violent nature and that Mike Tyson once used the strategy of Bite Thy Opponent’s Ear?

“You can be a nice guy playing basketball (Chaney played at Old Saybrook and for the University of New Haven) and you can get rough out there when you need to,” Ward said.

Chaney: “I don't think I'm nice in the ring. I know how to turn it on and get focused, but I think a lot of that comes with my background growing up (in Baltimore). You have to be able to change into ‘that guy’ when you get in the ring. You have to be able to put that cape on and more.”

Chaney is known to our corner of the world as a gentle giant, gentleman, helper of kids and practice player against the Connecticut Sun. Impeccable reputation. What’s not immediately known: He has life experiences he can summon from Baltimore, whose streets make New London’s feel like Rodeo Drive by comparison.

“I was a middle child. I had an older brother (by nine years) and a younger brother (Allan, a former Whaler basketball great),” Chaney said. “I was torn between teaching and learning. My dad was hard on me. I had a bad temper.

“Who did I fight in the neighborhood? Everybody. I looked back on it and I just thought I was a big kid for my age. But you know, it toughened me up.”

Chaney looks svelte as ever. And happier. Time around Ward will do that.

“He’s seen me grow up, at least from a boxing standpoint,” Chaney said. “I started when I was 22. I walked into the gym and coach Kent and coach Rollie (Pier) always said, ‘hey go out there (and train somewhere else) and get better if you need to. That meant all the difference in the world. If I stayed here, it would have been harder. But coach Kent is always the guy that will get you better and better. His door's always open.”

As are the doors to Filomena’s, where the meet and greet lasted long into Monday night, with Ward and Burchfield telling stories with a few lemonades.

“Mike is one of the first people I met when I first came here from Baltimore,” Chaney said. “He scared the crap out of me, actually. I remember he offered me ice cream (when the Buscetto family owned Michael’s Dairy in New London). I didn't have relationships with Caucasian males in Baltimore. I'll never forget how nice he was to me, this kid just dribbling a basketball by Michael’s Dairy.”

It begins all over again for The Big Fella on Aug. 20.

“It's time,” Ward said. “Step it up, train hard. And let's see where this goes. That’s where we're headed right now.”

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro