Tag: Cardiff

ANGELO DRAGONE

Post author By f/s
Post date August 20, 2019

“Winning is everything for me. There is no room for second place in boxing. People only see you fight, they don’t see the sacrifices I make during my camps so there is no better feeling for me than getting my hand raised.”

FIGHT SCENE CATCH UP WITH ANGELO DRAGONE

The tale of the Italian Welsh boxer is hardly an uncommon one, with prior world champions such as Enzo Maccarinelli and the great Joe Calzaghe making a large indent on the sport. Angelo Dragone, ‘The Italian Stallion’, will look to follow in the footsteps of these great fighters and leave his own mark on the sport.

Dragone had always been a working man prior to his career in boxing, having worked as a milkman for family business Nigel’s Dairy. While his career has changed, the aims remain the same. Providing for his family and securing the future of his two children is still the main priority. Dragone’s progression through the pro ranks has meant that the milkman business has been put on hold in favour of pursuing a potentially fruitful boxing career.

After a relatively short amateur career of just 24 fights, Dragone turned over to the pro ranks in August 2018 at the age of 28 and has fought five times since, maintaining a 5-1-0 record. Dragone has put in dominant performances and is showing himself to be a level above his current opposition. The first knockout is surely imminent!

“With all of my fights so far I’ve stepped up each time. I feel like I’m improving fight by fight and haven’t put a foot wrong yet. I’m happy with my progress and the improvements are showing in and out of the ring.”

The Carmarthen based fighter now trains with head trainer and manager Richie Garner in Llanelli, and Swansea. The Welshman operates on an intensive schedule, training in the gym four days a week from the early hours of the morning. Dragone is no stranger to the early morning start though, having been conditioned for this from his life as a milkman. No breaks are allowed on the weekends either which are filled with road running and sparring which has seen granted Dragone experience against many top Welsh prospects including Kieran Gething, Rhys Edwards, and even British and recently crowned Commonwealth champion Chris Jenkins.

Richie Garner: ‘It was a year ago this month that Angelo made his debut. Back then he was a very raw boxer with a heart filled with dreams of being a Welsh Champion.

For the past year, Angelo has worked tirelessly to realise his dream and push forward to achieve it.

He has improved immensely, and has such great energy and enthusiasm

We don’t take any opponents lightly, I am hoping Angelo will bring the intensity he can’t cope with.

We have been sparring Newport, Cardiff and even the prestigious Peacock Gym in London to make this happen. Gary Lockett has offered the most sparring and Rhys Edwards has been an invaluable asset for us in sparring.

Angelo is a popular fighter and we are training with the assistance of Jason who runs Jack To A King Boxing Club in Swansea, in addition to the Robert Davies Gym, Llanelli offering different facilities. We get the best of both worlds!

We have a great Team with lots of support. It’s a great bill. The ticket allocation has almost gone! If people want to see It, they will need to get in touch ASAP!’

“Winning is everything for me, there is no room for second place in boxing. People only see you fight, they don’t see the sacrifices I make during my camps so there is no better feeling for me than getting my hand raised.”

Dragone has displayed a preference to fight on the front foot and with a tight guard and is known for his high punch output and quick combinations. The speed and variety of his combinations have become a hallmark of Dragone’s style, as well his likening for a lead uppercut.

As would be expected, Dragone is a big fan of fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe and credits him for putting Welsh boxing on the map. Dragone is also a fan of Ricky Hatton due to his high octane and front foot style of boxing.

“Calzaghe put Wales on the world map for me. His high work rate, variety and skill was unreal. I love Ricky as well for his come forward aggressive style and body punching and that he’s just so down to earth.”

While maintaining a 5-1-0 record, Dragone is looking to put a signature win on his record.

“I take one fight at a time and don’t look that far ahead. I want to just keep winning and moving forward in boxing and life”

Buy tickets for Angelo’s next fight HERE

JAY MUNN

Post author By f/s
Post date July 29, 2019

“Boxing has taught me many things like self-discipline and focus and it keeps me off the streets. It’s really made me realize how important it is to keep yourself fit and eat well.

FIGHT SCENE CATCH UP WITH JAY MUNN

The self-proclaimed Rhoose Rhino: Jay Munn (3-0) has come a long way since hiding his boxing medical forms from his mother as he eyes an ambitious campaign in professional boxing after signing with experienced manager Gary Lockett.

Munn originally started his pursuit of combat glory in the sport of martial arts, whereby he competed as a youngster and achieved high-level status, until boxing presented itself. After making the transition from one discipline to another, the eager-minded Munn truly found his feet.

“After many years of competing at a high level of martial arts I was beginning to get bored of the sport. I kept walking past the boxing gym to get to my martial art class, I used to see the boxers always going in and out of the gym, then one day I finally decided to go to the boxing gym instead” said Munn.

“For weeks I was hiding it from my family (giving up martial arts for boxing) and a couple of weeks into it I was asked to get my medical sorted so I could fight, but she eventually found the form. It really wasn’t easy trying to convince her to let me fight, but when I stepped into that ring I knew from that day onwards that boxing was for me.”

Munn began his amateur boxing venture equipped with a youthful-mind and a competitive experience in the field of fighting. The Welshman persisted through the grueling training and challenging bouts and began to develop a sharp and intelligent style which carried him to new heights. In 2017, Munn grasped the opportunity to represent Wales at the 2017 Commonwealth Games, enjoyed various camps at the EIS Headquarters in Sheffield and won two ABA Championship vests.

Now a licensed prizefighter under Gary Lockett, the charismatic lad from Rhoose looks ahead to a long and exciting professional boxing career. His social media bio reads “I am De Roberto Duran of Rhoose” and in almost every post, the simple statement “I Am Rhino” re-occurs, a warning to his foes and a boast to his followers.

“Winning means a lot to everyone and everyone wants to be a winner, but what I love is the adrenaline rush, the raw of the crowd and the atmosphere which boxing brings. People should come and watch me fight because I’m exciting and I’m an old-school boxer/puncher, and there’s no better school than old-school. I can box at a distance and I can fight up close. Whichever, the Rhoose Rhino is coming.”

The part-time scaffolder and now professional fighter’s weekly regiment showcases the discipline and drive that fighter’s need to be able to succeed in such a demanding sport.

“Monday – bags & pads (9-10.30am), work till 5pm, Penarth ABC training

Tuesday – sparring at Gary Lockett’s Gym (Llanrumney Phoenix) (11.30am), work till 5pm, 5-6 mile run

Wednesday – agility, S&C, foot-work, hand-eye co-ordination (9-10.30am), work till 5pm, run

Thursday – sparring at Llanrumney Phoenix (11.30am), work till 5pm, run

Friday – S&C (9.00-10.30am), work till 5pm, cheat night (food and TV)

Saturday – run

Sunday – sauna session, recovery day”

Munn now trains alongside the likes of Alex Hughes, Chris Jenkins, and Nathan Thorley at Llanrumney Phoenix Boxing Club in Cardiff whereby his pedigree in the sport and desire to develop as a top-level domestic fighter is tested daily by world class operators. Current British Welterweight Champion: Chris Jenkins is among those who share a ring with the Rhoose Rhino daily, and under the 30-year-long expertise of Gary Lockett it seems only plausible that the Welshman will follow in the footsteps of his counterparts.

“I’ve got such a great team around me. I’ve got the guidance of Chris Davies and Gary Lockett who have both achieved so much in the sport and have all the experience needed to pass down to me. I’ve got connections across the UK, I’ve got my uncle: Neil Munn who always keeps me grounded and I’ve got the amateur experience to go with it.”

“Boxing has taught me many things like self-discipline and focus and it keeps me off the streets. It’s really made me realize how important it is to keep yourself fit and eat well. In the next five years I want some tough, hard domestic fights. I want the fights that everyone talks about.”

Munn sports a cheeky smile throughout most of his social media posts, has the look of a Josh Kelly type showman and appears to possess all the necessary skills needed to develop into a future champion. His newly found partnership with Gary Lockett, who has trained and managed multiple British champions seems destined to yield success, and alongside a stable of world-class fighters, Munn is not short of quality.

The Rhoose Rhino, the Roberto Duran of Rhoose, or whatever alias he may be called is on a collision course with the top prospects in the UK, in what promises to be an exciting and compelling journey for a fighter who has the appeal of the fans at heart.

“I believe my style is more suited to the pro game. I’m a bit of a slow starter and that was my biggest problem in the amateurs, most of my bouts were over before I could even have chance to warm-up. I’m a counterpuncher and it can take time for me to settle into the contest, although I can bite down on my gum-shield and have a real fight if it comes to it.”

It’s been a while since the likes of Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler or Tommy Hearns have graced the squared circle, and although the Rhoose Rhino continues to learn and develop, his hopes of becoming the next crowd-favourite can only excite domestic boxing fans.

Read more on The Rise of a Warrior HERE

Watch Jay Munn HERE

AARON SUTTON

Post author By f/s
Post date June 26, 2019

When I took up boxing I found something I was really good at and enjoyed, so I gave my life to the sport and gave it everything I have.”

FIGHT SCENE CATCH UP WITH AARON SUTTON

Aaron Sutton, the Bristol born middleweight may not possess the absolute amateur experience in the sport, however has shown himself to be a naturally talented fighter with an unwavering will to win at all costs!

Despite not originally coming from a purely boxing background, Sutton has always been a fighting man with his early discipline being kickboxing. Sutton fought as a kickboxer in his youth, fighting in France and other venues all across the UK.

In an unprecedented turn of events, Sutton traded kickboxing for white collar boxing at the youthful age of 16 and was pitted against a far more experienced fighter in his first bout, only to dispatch him in the first round. Sutton continued to have an impressive spell in the white collar ranks winning 24 of 25 bouts over a three year period.

Since turning to boxing, Sutton has shown a desire to excel at the sport and has vowed to show it the utmost commitment.

“Winning means everything to me, it’s the only thing I am good at. I was never any good at school, never passed a test in my life. I always gave it my best I could never get to grips with it. When I took up boxing I found something I was really good at and enjoyed, so I gave my life to the sport and gave it everything I have.”

After impressing in the white collar ranks, Sutton caught the eye of Chris Sanigar. Under the guidance of Sanigar, Sutton bypassed the amateur scene and turned straight over to the pro ranks.

“I started training down at Empire sparring the pros, the manager Chris [Sanigar] asked if I would be interested in signing so I jumped at the chance”

The middleweight had his first pro bout at the age of 19, securing a points victory over now 9-2-1 Kieran Gething. Sutton has since gone on to secure a further eight victories, to extend his record to 9-0-0.

Thus far in his career Sutton has shown preference to a fan friendly front foot style that has a likening to one of his favourite boxers, Carl Froch.

“I like to watch people who always come forward and draw their opponents into a fight. This is how I try to fight when I’m in the ring. I used to love watching Carl Froch as he was never the best boxer, but he always came to fight and I loved his spirit.”

While most 21 year old prospects may struggle to deal with the occasion of a fight night, Sutton remains the calmest man in the building and says that he relishes the pressure of a fight night.

“I don’t really like getting pumped up as I am normally really relaxed before the fight. I love the pressure of fighting in front of my followers. I always pick old classic tunes to walk out too as these keep me relaxed. I walk out to ‘I Love You Baby’ by Frank Sinatra.”

At just 21 years old, Sutton remains in the early stages of his career but has made no bones about what his aims are in the sport.

“In 5 years time I want to be British, European and World Champion. I want it all, I want to make a name for myself. Keep following me and one day I will be on top”

Aaron Sutton has proved to be one of a rare naturally gifted fighters in the sport, and in his final words shares this message:

” Boxing has helped me by keeping me out of trouble and keeping me off the streets!. I have the utmost respect for anyone that has the courage to get in the ring and want to wish them all the best in every aspect of their life and career.”

“One day I believe I will be on top and the support means everything to me”

DANIEL BARTON

Post author By f/s
Post date June 17, 2019

“Myself and a couple others started going along to the training and when I sparred for the first time I loved it, and everything snowballed from there. Where some at a young age took a different path, I chose boxing.”

Boxing is a discipline that teaches its combatants to persevere through the most treacherous roads, whether that be inside or outside the ring. It’s a sport that will weed out the quitters in an instant and leave the spotlight for the fighters who are willing to go through anything to have their arm raised in victory. In some ways boxing is a cruel and ruthless sport, but in others it’s a test of one’s courage and strength that will one day bring them to the top of the world.

For Undefeated Super-Middleweight Daniel Barton (3-0-1), boxing has been a passion which has helped him through battles inside and outside the squared circle.

Barton made his debut back in April 2017 in his native Newport and won in emphatic fashion with a TKO victory. After a promising start to his professional campaign with three wins and one closely contested draw, Barton suffered a period of ill health with sepsis/pneumonia and was forced to put his career on hold.

“It’s been a long road to recovery for me but I’ve no doubt ill be back bigger and better. All I can say is thank you to every one of my fans who’ve shown support.”

During an incredibly difficult time for Barton he was able to reminisce to the time where it all began, and where his road to today started.

“When I’d walk back from school the older kids would go straight to Wilson’s Gym and spar with each other. There wasn’t a great deal of ability or intention to learn, they just used to go for the love of beating each other up.”

After getting the “bug” for the sport as a young boy, Barton would quickly realise his blind love for the sport could go much further than sparring his friends for bragging rights and began developing a skillset that has cast his crowd-pleasing style. He describes himself as a boxer-puncher, a blend between crafted technical ability and a no guts no glory mentality. Crediting his admiration for the great Sugar Ray Leonard for his stylistic conventions, it’s everything a fan of the sport could want from a fighter and Barton hopes it will only continue to pocket him the heart of the fans and the eyes of the nation.

“Boxing is my hobby. I don’t do it because I have to, I do it because I love it. I am and always will be competitive, I like to get stuck in and I’m always looking for the knockout. People should come and watch me fight because I’ve still got plenty of years left in me and all I can promise is explosive nights!”

It’s this love for the game, an unjust discipline to persevere through life’s curveballs that has brought the 29-year-old to where he is today. After a 10-month absence, Barton is finally fit to return to duty and resume his professional campaign after batting with illness. At just shy of 30 years old, Barton still has a promising career ahead in the prizefighting domain and looks forward to challenging for silverware in the near future and giving the spectators memorable nights of championship boxing.

“In five years’ time I want to be retired British Champion. I am a realist, I know I’m not the best but I’ll do whatever it takes to be the best. Everything I do in life is to win. As for my opponents, its only business. I have to win, I can’t lose.”

The undefeated Welshman’s resilience to overcome his foes inside and outside of the ring is perhaps the strongest indicator of the manner of his intentions in the sport moving forward. Paired with a style which can only bring excitement to his nights under the lights in which he will continue to dare to be great like his idol Sugar Ray, Daniel Barton will continue to chase a boyhood dream and become the future British Champion, and it’s pretty hard to doubt a man who simply “can’t lose”.

Daniel Barton has a message for his fans:

Thank you so much for the support everyone has shown me through out my career, I’ve got a few years left so please stick by me and all I can promise is explosive nights!

And would also like to thank his sponsors for the continued support:

Light Source Limited, Moorland & Mayfair Wealth Management, Premier Copier Solutions Limited, Howses Traditional Homes, Leeway Motor Company

MORGAN JONES

Post author By f/s
Post date February 25, 2019

“I enjoy displaying my skill to the spectators, and I see boxing like painting a picture. When I’m on my A-game, which is every time I fight, the winning takes care of itself.”

FIGHT SCENE CATCHES UP WITH MORGAN JONES

Morgan Jones knows what he wants, knows how he wants to get there….and you better believe him when he tells you so convincingly.

Jones admits that he wasn’t born with this confident and exuberant persona, but it has manifested itself in his personality due to what boxing has given to him.

“It’s hard to put into words how much boxing has helped me,” he says. “What I can say is that it has made me the man I am today – I am hard working, strong, confident, everything a man is supposed to be. All thanks to this sport.”

Jones has had his fair share of crosses to bare with some truly heartbreaking situations in his life, but even when asked about the losses he has been through, his defiant attitude shines through. “Boxing helped me through the hard times,” Jones says. “It was a reason to get out of bed and stay motivated. Boxing kept (and keeps) me around good, positive people that want to see you be the best you can be.”

Confidence personified and the skillset to back it up, Jones points out his self-belief in his timing and his arsenal to get his hand raised at the final bell. He knows if he applies himself and fights his own fight, the wins will come……but he wants to put a show on whilst he does it. “I enjoy displaying my skill to the spectators,” he says. “I see boxing like painting a picture. When I’m on my A-game, which is every time I fight, the winning takes care of itself.”

There can be no debate over the list of qualities the Aberdare-based super middleweight possesses, but it was interesting to find out why people should be getting a ticket and going to watch “Team Chocolate” in action. “If you enjoy watching effortless boxing masterclasses, you should watch me fight.
“ If you enjoy watching super middleweights getting dropped or knocked out, you should watch me fight!”

With Jones highlighting he is the man to watch, it was intriguing to find out who has been influential to him. He mentions James Toney, and his fight against Vassiliy Jirov, which made him more and more smitten with the sport as well as influencing his commitment to composure and technique. “James Toney is one of my favourite fighters anyway” he says. “In this particular fight the odds were stacked against him when he faced an undefeated Olympic champion from Kazakhstan, with a huge KO% and a great fighter. Toney grinded out the win through slick boxing and staying calm under pressure.” Characteristics he plans on emulating.

Jones boasts a record of 13-2-0. The build up to fights have been good, and Jones is ecstatic with how things have gone!

“I’ve now teamed up with Mountain Ash Boxing Club, and the support I’ve had from Pebbles and Shane has been unbelievable. My work rate, aggression and confidence have gone through the roof. I’m really excited to show the boxing world a new Morgan Jones come fight night.”

“If I see ANY signs of weakness in my opponent…..he’ll be having an early night!”

GILL – I WANT TO BRING BIG TIME BOXING TO THE FANS

Post author By f/s
Post date February 19, 2019

Ryan Doyle and Jordan Gill, Commonwealth Featherweight Title, Copper Box Arena, London. 27th October 2018 Picture By Jamie McPhilimey

“When the pressure is on I always deliver. That’s when you see the best in me, when I’m up against it or when I’ve got something to prove. I’m going to thrive under the pressure and I think you’ll see my best performance yet.

GILL – I WANT TO BRING BIG TIME BOXING TO THE FANS
‘The Thrill’ vows to make Peterborough a regular Matchroom fixture

Jordan Gill is determined to turn Peterborough into a regular fixture for Matchroom Boxing.

‘The Thrill’ headlines his first ever show at the East of England Arena on March 2 when he takes on Mexico’s Emmanuel Dominguez for the WBA International Featherweight title, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

The Fenland fighter looked flawless last time out when he stopped Ryan Doyle in seven to claim the Commonwealth crown at the Copper Box Arena and is promising to go one better by producing a career-best performance when he fights in his home county for the first time in five years next month.

“Headlining a show is a new challenge for me but it’s something that I’m buzzing for,” said Gill. “It’s more pressure to deal with because everyone is coming out to see me, all eyes are going to be on me as I’m top of the bill. But this is something that I’ve worked towards my whole life and to be in that position on March 2 is awesome.

“The improvements that I made from the Cunningham fight to the Doyle fight were massive, and since the Doyle fight I’ve improved massively again so I’m looking forward to showing it off. I’m fighting a Mexican so it’s guaranteed to be a fan friendly fight. He’s coming for a war and we’re going to meet head on.”

Tickets for next instalment of the increasingly popular JD NXTGEN series are flying and 22-0 Gill hopes another explosive performance on home turf will help persuade Matchroom Boxing head honcho Eddie Hearn to return to the Cambridgeshire venue in the future.

“It would be great for me to lead the way in Peterborough. Everyone in Britain loves boxing at the moment and to bring the sport into a new city is awesome. If I can be the figurehead of that it gives everyone else on the undercard a chance as well. There’s local lads that will want to come through and make a name for themselves so it gives them a platform to perform on.

“There wasn’t any local boxers that I looked up to when I was younger. There were no decent level boxers from around my way, so it was always the big names that I looked up to when I was coming through – the likes of Floyd Mayweather. I’d love to inspire a new generation of fighters in the Fenlands.

“Tickets are going fast, it’s been really well-received in Peterborough. It’s really nice to have the support of everyone. It’s a new event locally, people haven’t really experienced high level boxing or a Matchroom Boxing show. There’s a big buzz around the place, everybody wants to come to this event, everybody wants to be there – we’ve seen that with the ticket sales. It’s gone through the roof, I think I’ve done around 800 tickets so far. March 2 is going to be huge.”

Gill vs. Dominguez tops a huge night of action in Peterborough.

Richard Riakporhe makes the first defence of his WBA Inter-Continental title against Belfast’s 12-1 Tommy McCarthy.

Unbeaten Indiana Super-Middleweight contender Anthony Sims Jr fights for the second time in the UK after an explosive debut in Cardiff last summer.

Nottingham’s Leigh Wood clashes with Ghana’s Abraham Osei Bonsu for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight crown.

Heavy-handed Super-Middleweight prospect John Docherty looks to make if four knockouts from four fights after impressing again on the Garcia vs. Cheeseman undercard at The O2 and Leeds Super-Bantamweight and former Team GB amateur standout Qais Ashfaq aims to go 5-0, and there’s also action on the undercard for Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway, Wisbech Super-Welterweight Joe Steed and St Ives Super-Lightweight Bradley Smith.