THE WBO LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
NATHAN CLEVERLY v TOMMY KARPENCY
SATURDAY 25th FEBRUARY
MOTORPOINT ARENA, CARDIFF
***LIVE ON BOXNATION (SKY CH. 456/VIRGIN CH. 546)***
RUNNING ORDER
Fight # 1 – 19:10 hrs
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest
LIAM WILLIAMS vs. TOMMY TOLAN
Box Nation live broadcast commences @ 19:30 hrs
Fight # 2 – 19:40 hrs
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
LIAM SMITH vs. LAZSLO KOMJATHI
Fight # 3 – 20:10 hrs
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
FRANKIE GAVIN vs. KEVIN McINTYRE
Fight # 4 – 20:45 hrs
8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Cruiserweight Contest
ENZO MACCARINELLI vs. CIARAN HEALY
Box Nation Switches to Germany @ 21:30 hrs latest
Fight # 5 – 21:35 hrs
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
CRAIG EVANS vs. MARC CALLAGHAN
Fight # 6 – 22:05 hrs
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Welterweight Contest
LEWIS REES vs. TONY PACE
Box Nation returns to Cardiff @ 22:35 hrs
Fight # 7 – 22:45 hrs
THE WBO LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
12 X 3 Minute Rounds @ 175 lbs
NATHAN CLEVERLY vs. TOMMY KARPENCY
Fight # 8 -Floater
4 X 3 minute Rounds Light-Welterweight Contest
FRANCIS ROBINSON vs. MARK McKRAY
*ALL TIMINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE*
IN DEPTH WITH LEWIS REES
Name: Lewis Rees
Weight: Light-Welterweight
Born: Church Village, mid Glamorgan. Up the Rhondda Valley
Age: 22
Family background: I’m the third of four children; an older brother and sister, and a younger sister. I’ve a little boy of my own, Ellis, who’s just eight months old. I still live with my mam and dad in the Rhondda, can’t afford a place of my own yet.
Trade: I’ve never really worked. I went straight from school to the GB Olympic squad up in Sheffield at 16 and stayed there for four years before turning pro.
Nickname: As an amateur it was ’Captain Right Hook’ but, as a pro, it’s been ‘Rhondda Boy’ because we want to get the whole valley behind us. I like them both to be honest.
What age did you become interested in boxing and why? I’ve been around boxing all my life. As a nipper I was football crazy but, while my brother never boxed, my father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all amateurs and always talking about their favourite fighters and fights. My dad Emlyn was due to go pro but had a retina problem. None of my friends did it but, when I was 13, I persuaded Dad to take me to the local gym and I hit it off straight away.
What do you recall of your amateur career? I boxed for the Rhondda ABC and was coached by Pete Bartlett there until I joined the Olympic set up at 16. My dad helped out with the coaching too.
I actually took a proper hammering in my first bout, aged 13. I was more excited than nervous. I’d only been in the gym two weeks and faced a boy called Joe Gage who’d already had a lot of experience and went onto win a few titles. I lasted the distance – I’ve never been stopped or put down in my life– but got battered. That persuaded me to put the work in, in training.
Roughly, I’d estimate I had about 85 bouts and won about 75. I won seven Welsh titles at all levels including three senior Welsh ABA light-welter titles. I was also British champion as both a junior and a senior, beating Dudley O’Shaughnessy and Bradley Skeete respectively in the finals. Two very good boys.
I must have had at least 30 Welsh vests and I was always team captain. I became very good friends with Craig Evans, now my stablemate at Frank Warren Promotions. We both got gold medals at the prestigious Tammer tournament in Finland. In 2007, I got to the quarter-finals of the European Junior Championships in (Sombor) Serbia but lost on a shocking decision to a boy from Azerbaijan. I also got silver medals in tournaments in Poland and Azerbaijan but mostly boxed in dual internationals.
Being part of the GB Olympic set-up at the English Institute for Sport in Sheffield made me the fighter I am today. I was coached by Jim Davison, Kelvin Travis, then towards the end, by Rob McCracken. It was a brilliant learning experience and brought me on leaps and bounds. I done loads of sparring with the likes of (world bronze medallist) Bradley Saunders, Tom Stalker and Ronnie Heffron. Me and Ronnie had real tear ups and the whole gym would stop to watch.
I’d say the highlight would’ve been winning the British junior title against O’Shaughnessy because it was in Cardiff. All my family and friends were there and it was a real war against a very good fighter. That was the best feeling ever. Dudley was a freak of nature; a tall, skinny boy but he could hit so hard. I won pretty comfortably on points but it didn’t reflect how hard the fight had been.
Why did you decide to turn pro when you did? Though I still really enjoyed the sport, I started to get very homesick up in Sheffield towards the end. The final straw was when the Welsh selectors sent Chris Jenkins, a boy I’d beat by about 20 points in our only bout, to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, instead of me. Still no regrets. I learned a lot in the amateurs and I’m happy now.
Tell us about your back up team? I’m with Frank Warren Promotions and I’m managed and coached by Gary Lockett in Llantrisant which is only about 20 minutes down the road. Gary had been one of my idols growing up and always kept in touch when I was away with the Olympic squad. Enzo Calzaghe had packed up when I started out so Gary was easily the best around in Wales. He already had Gavin Rees and Bradley Pryce in his gym. I also work with a very good nutritionist called Renzo.
I’m sponsored by Muscle Finesse who provide all my supplements and kit, plus a local businessman called Steve Lewis of Triple Crown Car Sales who provides me with a nice little Fiesta.
What’s your training schedule? Which parts do you most and least enjoy? If I don’t have a fight lined up, I go the gym every other day and run on the days in between. When I’ve a date scheduled, I train Monday to Saturday.
I get the gym at 11 and warm up by running up the steps. I might have a couple of light ones (rounds) on the bags then do some intense bar-bag stuff. I do lots of pads with Gary then technical, body or normal sparring, mostly with Bradley, Gavin and Alex Hughes, a very technical light-middle who was a good amateur. We don’t do a set number of rounds, just carry on till we’re tired!
We finish off with loads of mad strength and conditioning; kettle bells, flipping and bashing tyres, work with ropes. Gary really mixes it up and always leaves me in agony, aching like a zombie?!
Best bit, even though it’s the hardest, is the pads. Gary’s the best I’ve had. On the GB team, they’d be coaching you to nick points but I’m more an inside fighter, as Gary was. I love the way he’s steering me into the fighter I am.
Describe your style? What are your best qualities? At just 5ft 6(in), I’m quite a stocky light-welter. I’m a come forward counter-puncher who likes to slowly apply pressure. I can also bang a little. I’ve stopped both my pro opponents to date. Right hook to the body is my favourite shot.
What specifically do you need to work on to fully optimise your potential as a fighter? The biggest thing would be improving my balance and footwork. I’m learning new stuff all the time.
What have you found to be the biggest difference between the pro and amateur codes? The training sessions are longer and a lot more intense. Though we’d train three times a day on the Olympic squad I’m a lot fitter and stronger now.
Who is the best opponent that you’ve shared a ring with? (Former Welsh welterweight champion) Tony Doherty, in sparring. He’s unreal, so talented with his balance and head movement. Even when he’s fat and out of shape he doesn’t get hit.
All time favourite fighter: Manny Pacquiao. Not only for his qualities as a fighter but also for the way he lives his life, gives half his money away. His whole country loves him.
All time favourite fight: Those Gatti-Ward fights. The ninth round in one of them was the best I’ve seen in my life.
Which current match would you most like to see made? Has to be Pacquiao-Mayweather. Pacquiao’s my hero but I think Mayweather is too good defensively.
What is your routine on fight day? I won’t get up too late, usually before nine. Laying in bed all day just makes you lackadaisical and tired. Provided we’ve weighed in the night before, I’ll carb up and re-hydrate, eating potatoes and pasta, and sipping water throughout the day to recover 100%. I’ll usually look to enter the ring around 10st 10 (lbs). I’ll probably watch a bit of TV. I like to turn up at the venue quite early. In the changing room, I’m quite laid back, anxious rather than nervous. I actually yawn a lot and need a kick up the arse to start warming up. As soon as I’m in the ring and that bell sounds I’m okay.
Entrance music: Right now, I’m going through a number of songs, can’t put my finger on one. There’s so much choice. I’m a bit baffled by it.
What are your ambitions as a boxer? I just put all my trust in Gary. Over the next 12 months I just want to be kept busy so that by the end of the year I’m around British title level. I think that’s realistic. I’m not too fussed about the Welsh or Celtic titles but I’ve always wanted that Lonsdale Belt.
How do you relax? I like to spend time with my mates and my son. I also play a lot of XBox. It keeps me occupied, stops me from eating crap!
Football team: Cardiff City. I had trials for them as a left winger when I was a kid and I still go down quite a few times a season.
Read: I’m not a reader……I can read!! Dad gets the Boxing News now and then. I have a look at that.
Music: Bit of everything. Club, R ‘n’ B…
Films/TV: I’ve always been a comedy guy, anything that puts a smile on my face. I like Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler films. On TV, it’s Family Guy and Celebrity Juice.
Aspiration in life: To make life as easy as I can for me and my family. To make a name for myself, be remembered.
Motto: If In Doubt, Flat Out!