By James Bovington
Bramley welterweight Jack Toye is delighted to have boxed on a major promotion – and despite not getting the win, he’s convinced that the televised exposure will develop his career.
“I got the call from Gorilla promotion on the Thursday to fight on the following Saturday. It meant a 240-mile round trip to Colwyn Bay in North Wales, but it never entered my head to turn it down,” said father of one Toye who works as a scaffolder and turns 22 in July.”
“I’d boxed on an open-air show in Drighlington over the second May bank holiday so wasn’t expecting to be out again so soon. However, this happens frequently in combat sports. The original opponent for the guy I boxed, Peter Salami, had pulled out owing to injury so a replacement was needed. This is a violent sport. A boxer must be fully fit to enter the ring. Salami is known as a tough fighter and quite tricky to match but I was keen to have the experience.”
‘I’m not a professional boxer yet. I train at Bramley Villagers, and I’ve been there since I started in the sport at 13. I love it there and especially working with my coaches Titch, Tom Doyle and Jamie Brook. We train hard. I’m in our gym most evenings at and do lots of sparring on weekends. Gorilla is just about the biggest promotion on what’s called the unlicensed scene where home boxers get some commission on tickets sold. In this instanced I was the away boxer.”
All elite athletes rely on sponsors and Toye has six. “I’m grateful to Leeds Metal Fabrication, CMD Lash, Savage Landscapes, Rainbow Cleaning Service, Picture The Print and Bramley’s Barley Mow. Sponsors play a major role helping boxers build a career given how expensive equipment, medicals, training and travelling costs are. I’d be delighted if other potential sponsors contacted me on social media or e-mail jacktoye.2435@hotmail.com.
“I’m a local boxer who loves what I do, training and fighting alongside the rest of the Villagers lads. It’s positive helping our stable of younger boxers make progress and hopefully win. Our club is about providing opportunities for local people so new potential boxers are welcome to try us out.”
The next Bramley Villagers home show is at the club on Saturday, 4 July. Contact the boxers individually for tickets.