Olympic success no longer the be-all and end-all for British boxers turning pro

The Olympic boxing tournament reaches a climax in Paris.

In recent Games, Team GB medallists have stepped off the podium to find professional promoters waiting with open chequebooks. Things will be different this year, and that will be as much down to the current state of British boxing as it is to the disappointing return of the British contingent in France.

Make a list of the best male fighters currently fighting in Britain. Chances are Nick Ball, Chris Billam-Smith, Anthony Cacace, Tyson Fury, Hamzah Sheeraz, Jack Catterall, Liam Davies, Sunny Edwards, Daniel Dubois, Dalton Smith and Leigh Wood would be on that list.

None of those fighters boxed at the Olympics. In fact, most of them began their professional careers fighting in nightclubs, warehouses and hotel conference rooms. A million miles away from the kind of beautiful, purpose-built venues where the supposed next generation of superstars currently perform.

Anthony Joshua, the 2012 Olympic champion and two-time heavyweight champion, remains the biggest crowd-puller in British boxing. Joshua Buatsi, Lawrence Okolie, Joe Cordina and Josh Kelly are all still competing at the highest level after forming the core of the successful 2016 team.

The medal-laden 2020 squad – including Frazer Clarke, Ben Whittaker, Galal Yafai, Peter McGrail and Chev Clarke – are currently busy pursuing their own professional careers.

Olympic success – and the years of elite training that precede it – undoubtedly provide the most solid foundation for a long and prosperous career, but it seems to be becoming less and less important for professional success and popularity.

Of the thirteen fighters currently holding the British title, only Buatsi and Clarke have competed at the Olympic Games.

At European level, Britain has six current champions. None of them are former Olympians.

Dubois, Okolie, Billam Smith and Anthony Cacace all hold world titles. Of these, only Okolie competed at the Olympics.

Apart from Joshua – and possibly Ben Whittaker – none of the biggest ticket sellers in British boxing have made their name with a nationally televised Olympic Games broadcast.

Of course, some of the Olympians mentioned have won, lost and relinquished those titles during their careers, and elite amateurs also make up a small percentage of the total number of professional boxers in Britain. But it is an interesting snapshot of how many fighters reach the very top of British boxing after starting at the very bottom.

The success of these unsung fighters is due to promoters and managers such as Steve Wood, Steve Goodwin, Carl Greaves, BCB Boxing and Jon Pegg and Kevin Maree.

You won’t see them shouting at press conferences or slugging their way into post-match interviews. You won’t see them chasing reflective glory or throwing an inexperienced fighter to the wolves.

It’s hard, frustrating, and not exactly well-paid work, but they dedicate their lives to building fighters the old-fashioned way, putting on losing shows week after week to give diamonds in the rough a chance to hone their skills.

Maree has been boxing for years and is starting to see the benefits of long-term planning.

Nowadays, hardly a major show goes by without someone from Maree’s stable being involved, including European and Commonwealth champion Jack Massey, British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion Callum Simpson and English title holders Mark Jeffers, Michael Gomez and Zak Miller.

There are more in the pipeline. Jasmina Zapotczna will fight Chloe Watson for the European flyweight title next month, while she excites middleweight prospects Shakiel Thompson, Billy Deniz, Ryszard Lewicki and Josh Holmes, all of whom are due to fight for major national titles in the coming months. Maree also provides a large contingent of opponents, prospects and experienced fighters.

“I think we’re reaping what we’ve sown. I don’t think managers should talk much in public, but I think I did a rare interview during lockdown and said we had a plan and that within a few years we were going to be one of the strongest stables in the country. I knew what we were going to do and how we were going to do it,” Maree told BoxingScene.

“It wasn’t just a plan to select talent. It was about how we can create and develop that talent.

“I enjoy training boys and girls who may not immediately get what they deserve and giving them the reward their talent deserves and who might otherwise go unnoticed.

“We had a plan to cover all the bases. I’ve been successful in the business world and I’ve been involved in boxing for years and years. I sat down and thought, how do I make this work? The first step was to get all the necessary licenses to do it. I’m only 46, but I think I’m one of the longest-running licensees in the country and certainly one of the longest-running licensees in the country. Then it was a matter of building the stable. Prospects, champions, fighters. We do all our own shows. Then I thought about what I’ve seen over the years and how do we get those fighters where they need to be.”

Of course, every young fighter goes to sleep at night with the dream of winning a world title in front of an arena full of their own fans. Not many people lay their heads on the pillow and think of six gruelling rounds in a leisure centre, but Maree can point to a long string of successes and a well-trodden path to the top. There will be no shortcuts, but any young fighter prepared to follow the plan and match their effort can be assured that they are steadily moving towards a big opportunity.

If that opportunity comes, it won’t be an all-or-nothing opportunity. It will be the logical next step and a fight they are more than capable of winning.

“It’s very simple. We give them the right fights at the right times on the small house show. When they’re ready, they’re on the top of the bill on the small shows. Then when I take them to the promoters, the promoters are happy because we’ve done the work behind the scenes to build their fan base and get them ready for TV and when they get on TV, we’ve built them up,” he said.

“A lot of other managers may not have the facilities or may not want to put in the time and effort to produce shows themselves. Their fighters are rushed onto TV and into fights because TV wants dramatic fights right away. We’ve done the learning behind the scenes so that when they get on TV, they’re ready.

“You see now that when my fighters go on TV, they win. It’s because they had the foundation. We built them and nurtured them and the proof is in the pudding.”

Maree’s fighters begin to increase their success.

Massey defeated Isaac Chamberlain last month to become the Commonwealth and European cruiserweight champion and put himself in line for even bigger nights. Last weekend Simpson attracted 7,000 fans to Barnsley’s Oakwell stadium to see him defeat Zak Chelli to win those British and Commonwealth titles.

The 27-year-old is the poster boy for Maree’s method. He was an unknown when he signed a deal with Maree. He and his trainer, Mark Hurley, took it easy, picking up wins on Maree’s smaller shows and earning respect and experience sparring with some of the world’s best super middleweights and light heavyweights.

When Sky Sports finally offered him a platform, he treated it as a showcase rather than an audition, and his destruction of Celso Neves set him on the path to Oakwell.

“He (Maree) has done a great job. Not just for me, but for a lot of fighters,” Simpson said. “I wanted to fight for the regionals a couple of times before I actually did it. He stopped me and said once we fight for the regionals, we have to be ready to push on when we get there. It’s not just the business; it’s the whole career path of a fighter. He’s given me great guidance. We haven’t gone too fast; we haven’t gone too slow. It’s been step by step and brick by brick and we’ve got that solid foundation now. I’ve had 10 fights on the small hall shows, and I won the regionals. We went to the Sky shows and we’ve had four (now five) fights there under the bright lights in front of the cameras. I love it and now I’ve got an even bigger stage.”

Simpson admits that turning pro with a background in elite amateur sport is obviously the ideal scenario, but he points out that he is living proof that this is not a requirement for success.

“Boxing at the Olympics is great, but I think it’s important to remember that you don’t have to go to the Olympics,” he said. “Don’t be upset if you don’t make Team GB. Everyone wants to do that and it’s important to get amateur experience, but don’t dwell on it. It may be a tough path, but I’m reaping the rewards now.”

Maree isn’t one to be in the spotlight, but he took the opportunity to pose for a few post-match photos with Simpson last Saturday. Things are going well at the moment, but he’s been around long enough to know how quickly fortunes can change. Given the platform he’s operating on now, though, there should be plenty more good nights to come.

“I fundamentally believe that we do things right. When I look back at my 20 years as a professional boxing license holder, you won’t find anyone saying I took them a wrong turn, took their money or did anything wrong. I build the guys up well and I have a history of doing that for years. I conduct myself well, I’m straight forward and I’m honest. That’s very important to the boxers.”