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

The Olympic boxing tournament is building towards a crescendo in Paris.

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

Draw up a list of the best male fighters currently operating in Britain and it is highly likely to include Nick Ball, Chris Billam-Smith, Anthony Cacace, Tyson Fury, Hamzah Sheeraz, Jack Catterall, Liam Davies, Sunny Edwards, Daniel Dubois, Dalton Smith and Leigh Wood. 

None of those fighters boxed at the Olympic Games. In fact, most of them started their professional careers fighting in nightclubs, warehouses and hotel conference rooms. A million miles away from the type of beautiful purpose-built venues that the supposed next wave of superstars are currently performing in.

2012 Olympic champion and two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua remains the biggest draw in British boxing and Joshua Buatsi, Lawrence Okolie, Joe Cordina, and Josh Kelly are all still campaigning at the highest level after forming the core of 2016’s successful squad. 

2020’s medal-laden group – which includes Frazer Clarke, Ben Whittaker, Galal Yafai, Peter McGrail and Chev Clarke – are currently forging ahead with their own professional careers. 

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

Of the thirteen fighters who currently hold British titles, only Buatsi and Clarke competed at the Olympic Games.

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

Dubois, Okolie, Billam Smith and Anthony Cacace all hold world title belts. Of those, only Okolie competed at the Olympics.

Joshua apart – and Ben Whittaker may well join him – none of British boxing’s biggest ticket-sellers built their profiles with a nationally televised Olympic run. 

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

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

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

It is hard, frustrating and not particularly well paid work but they dedicate their lives to building fighters up the old fashioned way. Week after week, they put on loss-leading shows to provide rough diamonds with the chance to polish up their skills.

Maree has been involved in boxing for years and has begun to see the rewards of some long-term planning. 

These days, barely a major show passes without some kind of involvement from Maree’s stable which includes 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 fights Chloe Watson for the European flyweight title next month whilst exciting middleweight prospect, Shakiel Thompson, Billy Deniz, Ryszard Lewicki and Josh Holmes should all compete for major domestic titles in the coming months. Maree also looks after a large contingent of opponents, prospects and experienced fighters.

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

“It wasn’t just a plan for picking out talent. It was about how we can create and develop that talent.

“I like getting lads and lasses who maybe aren’t getting what they deserve from the start, building them and getting them the rewards that their talent does deserve that might otherwise go unrecognised.

“We had a plan to cover all bases. I was successful in business 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 licences needed to do it. I’m only 46 but I think I’m one of the longest licence holders in the country and certainly one of the longest licence-holding managers in the country. Then it was a case of building the stable. Prospects, champions, away fighters. We do all our own shows. Then I thought about what I’ve seen through the years and how we get those fighters to where they needed to be.”

Of course, every young fighter falls asleep at night dreaming of winning a world title in front of an arena packed with their own fans. Not many put their head on their pillow and think about six hard rounds in a leisure centre but Maree can point to a long string of success and a well-trodden pathway to the top. There won’t be any shortcuts but any young fighter willing to follow the plan and match his effort can be sure that they are steadily working their way towards a major opportunity.

When that chance does come it won’t be a make-or-break, all-or-nothing shot. 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 hall show. When they’re ready, they top the bills on the small shows. When I then go to the promoters with them, the promoters are happy because we’ve done the work behind the scenes to build their fanbase and get them ready for TV and when they do go on TV, we’ve built them,” he said.

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

“You’re seeing now that when my fighters go on TV, they win. It’s because they’ve had the grounding. We’ve built them and looked after them and the proof is in the pudding.”

Maree’s fighters have begun to upscale their success.

Last month, Massey beat Isaac Chamberlain to become the Commonwealth and European cruiserweight champion and put himself in line for even bigger nights. Then, last weekend, Simpson attracted 7,000 fans to Barnsley’s Oakwell stadium to watch him beat 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, went about their business quietly, racking up wins on Maree’s smaller shows and earning respect and experience during sparring sessions with some of the best super middleweights and light heavyweights in the world.

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

“He [Maree] has done an amazing job. Not just for me either but for a lot of boxers,” Simpson said. “I was wanting to fight for the area title quite a few fights before I actually did. He held me back and said that once we fight for the area title, we need to be ready to push on once we’re there. It’s not just been the business; it’s been the whole career path of being a boxer. He’s given me great guidance. We’ve not gone too quickly; we’ve not gone too slowly. It’s been step by step and brick by brick and we’ve got those solid foundations now. I had ten fights on the small hall shows, finishing off with winning the area title. We went onto the Sky shows and we’ve had four [now five] fights there under the bright lights in front of the cameras. I’m loving it and now I’ve got an even bigger stage.”

Simpson admits that turning professional with an elite amateur grounding is obviously the ideal scenario but points out that he is proof positive that it isn’t a prerequisite for success.

“Boxing in the Olympics is great but I think it’s important to remember that you don’t have to go to the Olympics,” he said. “You don’t have to be upset if you don’t make Team GB. Obviously everyone wants to and it’s important to get amateur experience but don’t dwell on it too much. It might be a hard path but I’m reaping the rewards now.”

Maree isn’t one for the limelight but he took the opportunity to pose for a couple of post-fight photos with Simpson last Saturday. At the moment, things are going well but he has been around long enough to know just how quickly fortunes can change. Given the platform he is now operating from, however, there should be many more good nights to come.

“I fundamentally believe we do things right. Going back over 20 years as a professional boxing licence holder, you won’t find anybody who says I’ve done them a wrong turn, taken money from them or done anything wrong. I build the lads properly and I’ve got a history of doing it for years. I conduct myself right, I’m straight, and I’m honest. That goes a long way with the boxers.”