Churcher ready to answer his calling (From South Wales Argus)

Churcher ready to answer his calling

3:40pm Thursday 4th June 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

NEWPORT’S Lee Churcher is ready to turn a fairytale amateur comeback into a successful professional career as he gears up for his first fight in the paid ranks.

The ex-Army boxing instructor stepped away from the fight game for nine years, concentrating on rugby with Hartridge when he was in the forces.

However, Churcher got the boxing buzz again recently and returned to the sport nine months ago after leaving the army and starting a plastering business, amazingly reaching the final of the Welsh Championships just after joining up with Tony Berg’s St Joseph’s gym.

Now Churcher has made the leap to the pro ranks and he will make his debut against journeyman Mark Phillips, brother of Wales scrum half Mike at the Newport Centre on Friday night.

And the local boy is promising to give a good account of himself in a fight he’s expected to win.

He explained: “It’s thrilling to be fighting in Wales and in my home town of Newport; it’s something I am really looking forward to.

“Tony (Borg) has been training me up since I came back into boxing, I have gone down a weight to middleweight and I feel strong and I am confident about fighting an experienced boy who is more of a light heavyweight.

“I stopped boxing for about ten years and was in the army and played a lot of rugby, for Hartridge. But I lost my buzz with rugby recently and I had to go back to boxing, it was really calling.

“I coached the regimental sides in the army, but now I’ve got my head on for competing. I feel I can give it a really good go as a professional.”

Churcher believes he will benefit from his successful amateur return. “I lost 27-24 in the Welsh final against Chris Ware from Bonymaen, but I punched myself out in the final 30 seconds or so, I should’ve won the title,” he said.

“But I have definitely got a style more suited to the pros, I have a coaching background and I like to box clever, taking my time and picking my shots, sussing out my opponent.

“That’s what I expect to do on Friday, he’s an experienced fighter and is very rarely stopped. It’s in my home town, I’ve sold plenty of tickets, so the pressure is on to perform.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)