Ringnews24.com: Can we start with you telling us about your involvement in boxing? You train fighters, is that correct?
Yeah, I have my own gym in Romford in Essex, ‘Legends Boxing Gym.’ It’s a real spit and saw dust old school gym with four bags and a small ring but it works for us. I’m full time with the boxing. I do one to one from early in the morning with keep fitters, white collar fighters and MMA fighters and then train my pro’s during the day. I do Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening classes which do get fairly busy and there is a good lot of banter down the gym, the atmosphere is bang on.
Ringnews24.com: What inspired you to become involved in the sport?
I have always loved boxing since i was a kid. My uncle Bobby Unwin was a well know amatuer and had a few pro fight, thenhe went on to train around lots of London clubs. He used to take me as a kid. I had many gym bouts as a kid and played rugby to a good standrd but I always kept my face in at the gym at different amateur clubs and realised that I had the knack for training and reading fights a lot better than I could ever fight so I started getting involved with training boxers.
I first got my AM training badge at St Goerge’s ABC where I helped out for two years before I was asked by Barry Bowers, son of the famous AM trainer George Bowers to start up a club in Brentwood. The very first day at the gym I met my main pro, Kris Agyia Dua who told me he loved boxing and was willing to help me out training all the young kids fom the Hutton estate in Brentwood. Kris, at the time, had one white collar fight together for the next year. We started up Brentwood youth boxing club. After a while the strain of running the club was to much at home with my partner and the kids so I stepped down, but told Kris, I believed, if he commited himself a little, could one day possibly go pro and fight for a Southren area title. After ten or so bouts unlicensed Kris went pro and we are at to where we are today.
Ringnews24.com: I believe you have trained with, or aside some of Britain’s top talented fighters such as Darren Barker and Kevin Mitchell. You must have picked up some interesting memories along the way. Do you have any highlights to tell?
I have known Kevin since he was eight and could see he was talented right away. Kevin was one of the kids that could have gone to the top in whatever sport he chose as he was more powerful than most kids his age and very athletic and explosive. I took him down to the best local amateur club at the time in our area Hornchurch and Elm Park where Paul Cook had a outstanding junior squad at the time. I inroduced him to Paul and away Kev went. My pro’s Kris and Mike Evans have sparred Darren Barker as I am friendly with Tony Simms. He manages two of my fighters for me. Mike Evans and Tayor Jordan. Tony was the man who suggested I apply for my pro licence and over the first three years of my career the support and help from Tony and his brother Peter Sims has been brilliant. If ever I have needed to ask a question about sparring dieting or training methods then the pair of them have always given me sound advice. The best ever spar which made me laugh was when Kris was doing six rounds with Darren in prep for a world title fight and I was filming the sparring at the end of the 6th round. After taking a fair few whacks from Darren Kris decided to to try out a combo, a fire ball four punch combo which he landed with blinding speed. Just as the bell sounded we looked like the world champ for them. Me and Kris will save that forever.
Ringnews24.com: What do you think about the attitude of such past fighters as Ricky Hatton and Roberto Duran who chose to blow up in weight and get back into shape before fight time?
I think many fighters used to get out of shape back in the day, what with modern science and all the nutritional info, the sport is becoming more science based as of late. I grew up loving Alexis Arguello and Wilfredo Gomez, and these fighters new little of amino acids, interval training and explosive plyometrics, and all the other new training fads. But they could all fight fifteen rounds and we, as coaches, all copy and admire their boxing skills to this day. Boxing first and foremost is a skill sport obviously. Weight control, size and strength can gain advantages but I belive boxers should practice tech above anything else to compete at the highest level.
Ringnews24.com: What would you say is the most difficult aspect of your job as a trainer?
Knowing how to deal with each individual fighter as they’re all different.
You cannot train every fighter the same, and all fighting types need to be catered for. And some fighters need you to be honest with them and others need ya to blow smoke up there arse and give them a cuddle even when they ain’t performing. You need to build up a friendship with your boxer outside the gym as well, which ain’t easy. But because of the familar surroundings of the gym and the smell and sweat it’s easy to get on, but outside of that enviroment everyone is different. I believe that I am a very easy going person who likes a laugh but at the right time can be serious and make the fighters believe in what I am teaching them and respond to me in the vitalist of times.
Ringnews24.com: And the most pleasurable?
Definitely that first beer after the fight, ha ha ha. No, seriously, when it all goes well it’s great to see tha weight lift off your fighters and your own shoulders and you get a bit of back slapping off the supporters.It makes all the hard work worth it.
Ringnews24.com: Do you have any top prospects that you are training at the moment?
As I said, I have four active pro’s, Kris Agyiay who challenges for the Southern area title against Freddie Turner in July. I have ‘Mighty’ Mike Evans, an unbeaten super middle-weight and I have ‘Smokin’ Joe Mulander who at the weekend challenges for the British Masters super-middle weight title, topping the bill on Steve Goodwin’s promotion at York hall. My other fight is unbeaten light-middleweight Taylor the ‘Zoolander’ Jordan, but he is gifted with good looks and lots of chat and he is modeling at the moment and not currently in the gym. Funny kid though, and all the boys miss his banter down the gym.
Ringnews24.com: What would you say is the most important part of training?
I believe people overlook the art of boxing and defence skills and hide the behind fitness, strength, footwork and a good defence. James Toney was a great fighter to watch. He never trained properly but his footwork positioning and his defence allowed him to fight three classes above his fighting weight and still mix with the best. I think correct shadow boxing is the most important apart from the obvious which is the sparring. Sparring, and plenty of it, is the best way to bring a fighter on.
Ringnews24.com: What are some of your hobbies outside of boxing?
I love taking m kids out. I have three of them, 2 boys and 1 girl. They mean the world to me, the three of them are right little characters. My two boys always walk my fighters into the ring and they love the atmosphere on fight night. I have a dog which I take out every day for a long run with. All the pad work and stuff I use to keep myself in reasonable shape. I like to spend the weekend with the family. I have a very understaning partner at home. She gives me full support in everything I do. Without her by my side I’d struggle to do so much as I do in boxing. As they say, “behind every good man is a good woman.”
Ringnews24.com: In your opinion, how is boxing doing today? Could it improve? If you think so then what do you think it could do to improve itself?
I think thet should somehow crack down all the Mickey Mouse white collar shows and unlicenced shows that go on around the country as these show take away the interest for the small hall pro shows. The ticket deals that some of the fighters have to sign make it really hard for them to earn any money from the sport, unless you are with Matchroom or Boxnation, then it is very hard to keep plugging away as a pro fighter. I do believe British boxing is as good as it’s been for a while as there is some phenominal amateur talent coming through and I believe the Anthony Joshuaa story will keep the country hooked on boxing over the next few years. Martin Ward, I belive, will develop into a British superstar and in the US I think the Puerto rican Felix Vedhjo is the next big superstar over there.
