Don Broadhurst Aims High

22.08.06 – It’s not easy being a British flyweight – but new professional Don Broadhurst says the lack of domestic talent means he’ll become a world beater that bit quicker. The 22-year-old Brummie, who snatched flyweight gold at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne earlier this year, makes his debut on Frank Warren’s September 2 show at the Bolton Arena..

And Sports Network matchmaker Dean Powell would be forgiven a few sleepless nights at the thought of matching Broadhurst, as according to rankings site boxrec, there are just five British boxers registered at flyweight and super-flyweight.

Broadhurst, trained by Paddy and Tommy Lynch, makes it six, but he doesn’t mind the lack of company – or the thought of taking on the Latin American pocket dynamos who traditionally dominate the division.

“I suppose there aren’t too many flyweights domestically, but it is a big world out there and I’m happy to travel to get the kind of fights that I want,” he said.

“I’ve got a great promoter in Frank Warren and I know that he will get me the right fights at the right time.”

With Broadhurst intending to stay at flyweight for the foreseeable future, he could find himself on a fast-track to the British flyweight title, which hasn’t been contested since Jason Booth and Ian Napa met for it way back in 2000.

Before he went pro down-to-earth Broadhurst raised a few eyebrows by claiming he could win the Lonsdale belt right straight away, but he insists he is not questioning the merits of the likes of Dale Robinson and Lee Haskins.

“I said that when the title was vacant because I didn’t want to make comparisons to other fighters,” he said.

“I don’t really want to look too much into the future because the only person I’m concerned about is myself, but, without being big-headed, the British title is definitely something to aim for.”

There was pressure on Broadhurst to remain an amateur after his success in Melbourne, but after an unsuccessful attempt to go to the Athens Olympics in 2004, he felt the time was right to accept the overtures of Warren.

“I’d been unlucky in qualifying for Athens because I met a really good fighter in one tournament and then got a bad decision in the next,” said Broadhurst.

“I didn’t want to go through the same thing again ahead of Beijing, it was just too big a risk. I’d been thinking about going professional since I was a teenager and doing well in the ABAs, but then the chance to box internationally came up and I stuck with it.”

“But after Melbourne I knew the time was right. I think my style will be better suited to the professional side of things because I was always really fresh at the end of fights and getting stronger, so the longer distance will suit me and I was never really one for counter-punching style favoured by the amateur judges.”