British boxing- The ones to watch
By Jamie Albrecht
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 recognised 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.
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!”
