London's Calling for Albert Sosnowski
By S. Noble
19.02 - It's a city that has fascinated plenty of young men from abroad. Simply walking the streets your ears are filled with accents and languages from every corner of the globe. Some have come to stay for good, others only to try to make their fortunes with a view to returning home in a financially secure position. Among those coming to town this year will be a young Polish boxer, Albert Sosnowski though for him, it will be a return to a city that he has already had his share of success in. Not just inside the ring either, as Sosnowski appears to be building something that's almost as important to a professional fighter as a winning record. A growing fan base.
An Eastern European fighter rarely has the luxury of being able to fight regularly in front of his fans. For a one-off big fight, supporters might be persuaded to travel abroad. Otherwise though, simple economics prevent most European fighters from bringing travelling support. Another effect of this is that British fight fans have become accustomed to seeing fighters from the former Soviet block in recent years. Some have been good, like Andrei Pestraiev, whose dramatic smash and grab raid last year relieved Steve Roberts of his undefeated record and his world title. The majority though are strictly in the category of opponent, a fighter who will put on a good show, but will ultimately lose. As such they usually have the respect of the crowd by the end of the night, as well as their purse, but little more.
Albert Sosnowski has an unusual advantage in London though. On his trip to these shores last year, his fight in Brentwood attracted over a hundred Polish supporters eager to cheer on their fellow countryman. Considering the fight was on the under card, and was well outside London, this was an excellent turn out. For Sosnowski though, the support gave him more than just some fleeting motivation during the fight. Delighted to get such an unexpected reception outside of his native Poland, he returned home with renewed determination to excel in his chosen path as a professional boxer. He also promised to return, so that he could display the improvements he had made.
That means that Sosnowski is very definitely not the typical fighter that people are used to seeing visit these shores. He is not prepared to abandon his ambition for a pay cheque, taking fights at short notice against men who have had weeks of preparation. So instead Sosnowski has started to build support among the large Polish expatriate population of London, hoping to fill the gap that was created by the end of Andrzej Golota's controversial career. His latest visit to London will be on the eighth of March in the historic venue of the York Hall, Bethnal Green.
The atmospheric location, steeped in boxing history provides a great opportunity for Sosnowski to prove to his fans that he is serious about being part of the future of European boxing. Ironically enough, at the start of his career, he fought several times in London, without really getting the attention of this untapped source of support. With a current record of 26-1-0 it seems unlikely that Sosnowski will remain unknown for long.
Tickets are available on: 07803707294 (English) or: 07976251270 (English & Polish)
