Junaid Bostan on his ‘dog house’ spars with Caleb Plant

A trip to the States to spar one of America’s biggest boxing stars and one of its brightest prospects would be a dream for almost any young British fighter – and it’s one Junaid Bostan got to turn into reality.

Bostan, a 10-0 (8 KOs) junior middleweight prospect, made a splash across the pond after being offered the chance to travel to the US and link up with trainer Kay Koroma in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Whilst out there, Bostan, still only 22, got the opportunity to share the ring with former 168lbs titleholder Caleb Plant and rising star Curmel Moton.

“I had a lot of spare time on my hands – they wanted me to keep away from trouble,” Bostan told BoxingScene. “So they’re like, ‘Do you want to go to America and spar?’ People would die for opportunities like that, so I just went over there. I trained with Coach Kay. If there’s one man that’s very, very connected over there, it’s Coach Kay. He got me the work I needed, and it gives you different experiences [being] away.

“The culture change is one thing, how they train is another. The weather, the conditions. I even went and watched a [Gervonta Davis] fight over there against Frank Martin. That was an experience within itself. So, overall, it was a good experience – and, of course, in the sparring, you’re just learning.

“Caleb Plant is someone I’ve always looked up to and been told to watch growing up, picking up bits and pieces,” Bostan continued. “So seeing it live in the flesh and then actually having to deal with it yourself, it’s an experience you can’t buy, a story for the grandkids.”

Facing off against someone you’re used to watching knock people out on a screen in your bedroom can be an intimidating affair – but one Bostan took in his stride. Plant is still considered among the world’s top super middleweights, but Bostan was not outclassed in the spars.

“They were comfortable,” he said. “They gave me confidence. Of course they’re world level rounds, so it has you thinking, has you having to do certain things and adjust and things of that nature. But that’s what you’re there for, and it was great work. If anything, I wish I could have got more rounds – it was really, really good work.”

Bostan found that the American culture in sparring was very different to the one he was used to in Grant Smith’s Steel City Gym in Sheffield. In the UK, it is seen as rude to trash-talk your opponent whilst trading leather, but Bostan discovered Plant and the US have a different attitude.

“Before? Top man. During the spar? Dog house,” he said. “They speak shit, I speak shit. I almost like it. I think it’s more fitting for me there than here. There’s more etiquette around here, you’ve got to keep your mouth shut. There, you can say a bit of shit and no one’s really on your back.

“Then, after, Caleb gave me some of his time and it was good. It was weird. It was almost like the things I was thinking about, what he does. He was telling me why he does it, and what he does, and how he does it, and why he’d do it, and when he’d do it. Then he’d explain how, if you’re useless at something in the ring, how you’d work on it outside of the ring and out of sparring and drills and stuff like that. So, really, I know it was a good experience.

“Like I said before, I’m just dying to go back over there. It was good. I’m 22, I’m not a finished article. I never will be, and when you’ve got these opportunities to pick up bits and pieces, you’re going to make the most of it, aren’t you? So, if I’m being honest, I was a bit of a pest, constantly asking questions. But it shows you that I’m passionate about the game and I’m really wanting to learn.”