Broadhurst wants to be 'Brummie Bomber'
Feb 27 2009 by Ian Johnson, Birmingham Mail
DON Broadhurst would love to be known as the Brummie Bomber – starting tomorrow at the NIA when he defends his Commonwealth title.
He tops an outstanding bill of quality boxing and entertainment in front of his home-town fans (doors open: 6pm) and intends taking the next critical step in an unblemished career... a knock-out win.
The super super-flyweight champion has won all nine fights so far but the nearest he has come to a knock-out was a three-round stoppage against a Georgian.
The Don would love to change that and has been working hard to succeed. I watched him on the pads just over two weeks ago and he looked in tremendous shape – so much so that I wondered if he might be peaking too soon.
“Not at all,” he said. “I have been working on building my power and picking my punches as the next step in my development.
“When amateurs first turn professional they tend to be cautious and box in a methodical fashion. It is easy to leave a lot of the learning curve in the gym.
“There are very few boxers who have a gung-ho style but that can be too dangerous.
“But I feel I have come through that now. I have won my fights so far without really extending myself so now is the time to be a bit more spectacular. A bit more adventurous. For this fight against Issac Owusu I will be as professional as usual but I will be looking more keenly for a quick route back to the dressing room.
“That would be great and a big ‘thank you’ to the hundreds of fans who will be supporting me. I am grateful to them, especially at this time of financial worries.
“You can be sure they will get a spectacular performance from me, no matter how long the fight lasts.’’
The rest of a stunning bill includes the professional debuts of Frankie Gavin, Billy Joe Saunders and James DeGale, the defence of his Commonwealth heavyweight title by Matt Skelton, a challenge to Coventry’s Steve Bendall from Wolverhampton’s Darren McDermott for the English middleweight title and hopefully another outstanding performance from young Brummie Thomas Costello.
