British boxing- The ones to watch
British boxing has experienced something of a renaissance since the rollercoaster ride career of Manchester’s own “Hitman” captured the hearts of not just the boxing hardcore, but the armchair fan as well. It can be argued that Super-middleweight king Joe Calzaghe should clearly remain at the forefront of the success of the British scene in recent years, but for many fans, boxing is a profession that relies hugely on the personality as well as the fistic expertise of the man in order to determine success, equated by prize money won.
Since the respective carers of Hatton and Calzaghe began to enter their twilight years, a number of capable candidates have stepped in to fill the void left by these boxing superstars. Carl Froch, David Haye and Amir Khan are the names that instantly leap to mind. These examples however are fighters that have already made the difficult transition from World title prospect to champion and will therefore be recognized as such in the history books. The next generation is coming through fast, and no doubt the success will continue to flow from the British Isles. What follows is an overview of the latest pool of talent from the United Kingdom that may be destined for big things in the future, emulating the current crop of brilliance.
Ashley Sexton
North Londoner “Flash Ash” Sexton has already made a considerable mark on the domestic flyweight scene and boasts an impressive unbeaten record consisting of 9 wins, with 5 ending inside the distance, the most stunning example of this came in a 1st round blowout of former British title challenger Usman Ahmed. The one solitary smear on his ledger came against British champion Shinny Bayaar, a bout that ended in a draw, with many believing that Bayaar had done more than enough to get the nod after a less than satisfactory first half from the challenger.
A rematch will no doubt be on the cards and presents Sexton with the opportunity to put things straight, which is vital if Sexton is to fulfil his potential. Should he successfully negotiate the Bayaar question next time round, a clash with Commonwealth flyweight boss Chris Edwards would be an exciting prospect with the winner being awarded with the leadership of the division in the UK. With his undefeated record, good power and a bright looking future ahead “Flash Ash” is definitely one to watch.
Scott Quigg
It is hard to justify blinking during any fight involving Quigg, the 21 year old has made quite an impressive habit of ending the night early, with 9 of his 13 knockout victories ending inside 3 rounds with showings of speed and combination punching to accompany the power. His promoter, former two weight world champion Ricky Hatton, has tipped Quigg for greatness and has stated that he sees a lot of himself in the Bury fighter. Particularly with regards to his crowd pleasing, all action style and fondness for body punching.
Quigg has also shown examples of a big heart, rising from the canvas to win on 2 occasions. This characteristic combined with the others in his repertoire adds to his appeal. With a win over Gavin Reid in a British Super-Bantamweight title eliminator in his last fight under his belt and the enthusiasm and vision of Britain’s newest addition to boxing promoting, it certainly appears that Quigg’s future is looking promising.
John Watson
Watson, a native of Huyton, Liverpool is currently 14-0 as a professional with 5 wins coming by way of Knockout. After a glittering amateur career that culminated in winning both junior and senior ABA championships, Watson ventured on his first professional outing against durable journeyman Jason Nesbitt, beating him unanimously over 4 rounds. Since then, Watson has continued on a steady course trying to secure a shot at a British title. This has not been an easy period, and Watson’s career has been somewhat curtailed by a number of setbacks and fights that never materialized
A notable example being former commonwealth lightweight titleholder Willie Limond. Added frustration must have been caused for Watson, when one takes into account the fact that he has already fought and won an eliminator for a crack at John Murray’s British crown against Walsall stylist Martin Gethin. Again, the win came to nothing, and Watson is still hunting for the shot he craves. 2010 has produced two more good performances to keep him in the mix. Points and TKO wins over Bens Murphy and Lawler respectively have ensured that Watson stays on the tail of John Murray in his quest for British gold. His road to this goal will be worth the watch and surely worth the wait.
Steve O’Meara
For the man from West Drayton, Middlesex, boxing became a journey to see in his words “Just how good a fighter he could become”. That statement seems at first glance to lack the air of swagger that is so often associated with fighter’s embarking on their profession of violence. Boxing was not O’Meara’s first love. He had been heavily involved with football before a broken leg cut short his career. He turned to boxing as a means of rehabilitation for the injury and ultimately this grew into a new and successful vocation.
Upon watching a blossoming career, the broken leg may appear to be a blessing from above. “Steve O” has shown great promise in amassing his 11-1 record. He possesses all the ingredients needed to create a champion, he has speed, can use combinations well, which was seen in abundance against journeyman Matt Scriven in a 4 round decision win. Furthermore, he has also shown the courage to travel, a trait not seen to regularly on British shores in the early stages.
One clear trait that may be open to criticism is O’Meara’s fondness for carrying the left hand low. At the early stages, this should cause little alarm, but as his level is raised and his chin is more likely to be tested, this could be hazardous His early success meant an inclusion in the prize-fighter light-middleweight tournament, where he lost to undefeated Brett Flournoy in the semi-final round. Due to the niche format however, it is highly doubtful that this will hinder O’Meara’s progress through the pro ranks and O’meara will no doubt build on his successes.
His talents are clearly held in high regard by his respected trainer Jim McDonnell, who has thus far organized the best sparring available (in the shape of pound-for-pound king Floyd MayweatherJjr) for his charge. Such quality training being organised for O’meara highlights how much McDonnell believes the experience will bring out Steve O’s potential. A training date with Manny Pacquiao has also been apparently scheduled. Although it is early days, O’Meara’s story is definitely worth a look, even if just for the link with Mr. Mayweather.
Three words, Watch this space.
Tyrone Nurse
Yet another promising prospect enters the fray of the exciting light-welterweight division. Enter Yorkshire’s Tyrone Nurse. The 20 year old from the Steve Wood VIP stable has thus far boxed his way to comfortable points victories over a large array of tough Journeyman opposition with one TKO victory in his 13 wins. He has been through a lot, even as a young professional. He has suffered an early knockdown, (against Adam Kelly) suffered cuts, and braved a few painful moments, still managing to taste victory in the process. Nurse sees these experiences as beneficial learning curves, stating “I’m happy with all the stuff I’ve been through… as it’s all happened early and I’ve managed to cope with each and everyone without losing my cool or getting frustrated by it”. This outlook is refreshing
One can clearly deduce that Nurse is not governed by fear of losing his unbeaten record, which of course, as with any dedicated professional, he is happy to possess, by shying away from boxing’s difficulties. Seeing these minor episodes as a benefit adds to his ring education and will mean he is not facing total darkness when he is undoubtedly faced with the same obstacles should he eventually reach the bigger stage he longs to compete on. The road ahead is long however, and whilst Nurse acknowledges his level of opposition has been somewhat below par (through no fault of his management) he has stressed that he is in no rush to progress too soon, and would rather learn his trade patiently than needlessly enter the lions’ den of a championship contest unprepared. After just recently being aired on Sky Sports in his fifth round stoppage of Johnny Greaves, Nurse has gained the exposure he needs to start the ascent up the light-welter ladder to success. Nurse is one to keep an eye on, particularly with Sky’s newfound interest and the drive of his management the sky is the limit. As Tyrone himself proclaims “There’s going to be some exciting and meaningful moments to come!”
