SINCE turning professional after reaching the Olympic semi-finals, Tony Jeffries’ boxing career has been a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair.
But the 24-year-old from Sunderland is hoping his next opponents might make life a little more difficult when he returns to the ring at the Seaburn Centre on July 10.
The light-heavyweight is the most high-profile of eight North East boxers on an 11-fight bill also featuring a British super-flyweight title fight between Lee Haskins and Ross Burkinshaw, middleweight Prizefighter champion Martin Murray and Jeffries’ fellow Beijing bronze medallist, super middleweight Darren Sutherland.
The Jeffries camp are anxious he takes his boxing education slowly. And the man himself is hoping his next opponent – still to be decided – is more obstinate than those he has already seen off.
“I’m learning at four rounds,” he said. “This is my last four-rounder before I step up to six. I haven’t even been three rounds yet in my first two fights, so it wouldn’t be so bad for me if this one went the distance so I can see what it’s like to go four rounds.
“My last opponent (German journeyman Roy Meissner) wasn’t very good at all but it’s (promoter) Frank Maloney’s job to pick my opponent. I’ll just get in the ring and do what I do best.” Belarussian Aliaksandr Vayavoda lasted just 162 seconds on Jeffries’ pro debut before an over-cautious referee stepped in, and Meissner 290 at Crowtree Leisure Centre in May.
Whenever a British boxer swaps an Olympic podium for the paid ranks, a tidal wave of hype follows them. Jeffries’ coach Bobby Rimmer, once part of Ricky Hatton’s team, believes his charge will ultimately graduate to world champion status but is urging caution while he finds his way there.
“These kids that turn pro, you have to go slowly,” he warned. “They are moving home and you ask them to train differently at a different gym. It has to be gradual. You have to be careful with them. Sometimes I ask Tony to do things and he looks at me and says, ‘Why?’ But then as the training goes on he understands why. It’s a big upheaval and Tony has done really well.
“Tony will deliver the goods. I have no doubt in my mind that one day Tony will be a world champion. But it’s something that will not happen overnight. When you step up from four to six rounds it’s a step up in opponent, not just a step up in rounds. With these journeymen he is fighting now, it’s hard for him to get his shots off. But as they get better, you will see the real Tony Jeffries.
“He can only do so much. He is very talented and it will look like he is overpowering opponents but he will do until he gets into bigger rounds. It’s the same for every kid coming through.”
The Meissner fight came amid a hectic background which saw Jeffries ditch previous trainer Joe Gallagher and move closer to Rimmer’s gym in the build-up. It also means one of Sunderland’s most enthusiastic ambassadors spends most weekdays away from his home town, something Rimmer thinks is positive.
“We only had a short space of time to work with him last time,” he reflected. “It was awkward because he had left one trainer, moved house to Manchester and was fighting for the first time in front of his own crowd. This time we have had a lot longer.
“Tony Jeffries in Sunderland would have loads of people hanging on to him. You need him to move away from that pressure.”
Tickets for the “National Coastguard” show are available through Jeffries’ dad and manager Phil on (0191) 564-0202, priced £40 unreserved or £80 ringside. For further information, log on to www.frankmaloney.com
You can read Jeffries’ exclusive blog at www.journallive.co.uk
