Boxer launches professional career with a win (From Watford Observer)

Watford boxer launches professional career with points win

9:38am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Local Sport

Former top-class amateur Elliott Matthews launched his professional career with a convincing points win in Mayfair.

The 30-year-old Watford boxer fights again on Friday, February 24 at the Camden Centre on a championship bill.

As an amateur, Matthews was rated number three in Great Britain and showed the skills that took him to that ranking on his professional debut at the Millennium Hotel. The middleweight won every session of his four-round fight with Lincoln journeyman Ryan Clark.

Matthews, who works as a personal trainer at the YMCA in the town centre, said: “I want to build on that performance and if I can keep fighting regularly, I will keep improving. A lot of the crowd told me I boxed well - but they had all been drinking. I will have to watch the DVD to find out what I need to work on.”

Matthews was in control throughout the fight and by the third, his punches were flowing and Clark was relieved to hear the bell after a body shot hurt him.

“I had too much skill for him,” said the winner, “and I can’t wait to show people what I can do this year. I feel fit and strong, hit hard and have a good boxing brain.”

Matthews has bags of experience from a 46-fight amateur career with Callowland and Repton ABCs. He reached the quarter finals of the ABA championships and shared a ring with James DeGale and Craig McEwan.

He was edged out by DeGale in the London final of the ABA championships and has watched his conqueror go on to strike gold at the Olympics and win the European super-middleweight title, while McEwan has had a successful professional career in America.

Matthews had the skilled Scottish southpaw on the floor in the opening round before dropping a controversial points decision when they boxed as amateurs.

Matthews started boxing when he was 17 and explained: “I was never the best talker. People would be quicker witted than me and I decided that if they were going to take the mickey, I had better learn to fight back somehow.”

He has shrugged off an elbow injury that kept him out of the ring for four years to launch his professional career and said: “All I do is train and work. I’m a bit of a boring git.”

Anyone wanting tickets for the show in Camden can contact Matthews at www.padmanpersonaltraining.com or by calling 07886-683614.