FightFranchise.com | FF Chats To Prizefighter Late Addition Neil Perkins

As has been reported the forthcoming Prizefighter Heavyweight Tournament suffered a slight set back last week with the announcement that Michael Sprott would no longer be taking part, due to the tragic death of his sister. The passing of Ginette Sprott, a mother of two who he described as “lovely”, ensures no-one begrudges Michael’s decision and here at fightfranchise.com we wish him all the very best, in what must be a very difficult time.

Sprott’s departure however ensured that a place in the tournament had to be filled and as broke yesterday, ‘Neil Perkins’ (4-0-0) from Birmingham is the man to fill that void, I caught up with him earlier today to chat about the Prizefighter series and how boxing is also very much his business….

Neil came to the sport late aged 20 and began his first foray into the fistic science down at the Priory Park amateur club in Dudley, West Midlands. A reoccurring injury to his left shoulder ensured that one medical practitioner commented he would ‘never box again’, however after extensive rehabilitation and an amateur career that saw him get the nod 18 times out of 21 starts, the former ABA Finalist, strove ever more to prove wrong those who said his career was over, before it had even started.

Performing well as an amateur meant the opportunity to carry on and box for England arose, but running a business (more on that later) meant that he needed the level of control, a move to the professional ranks would bring. That very move occurred in early 2008 and in every outing thus far, his hand has been raised once the final bell has tolled.

Four fights in however and Neil’s world has been turned upside down. Wanting to be involved in the tournament as soon as he heard it was on, he ensured his promoter “got his name in the hat” and he was guaranteed as a reserve should something-crop-up. As mentioned earlier, something did crop-up and he faces Danny Hughes another relatively inexperienced lad in the Quarter Finals.

Neil however believes Prizefighter is ideal for people like himself and Danny, “as a rank outsider, I have nothing to lose”, he admitted to sparring “3x3 minute rounds under highly intensive conditions for 6 to 7 weeks” and when asked about the tournament format he professed:

“The way I see it, I am not stepping up to Danny Williams’ level, he is stepping down to my level” [Danny Williams] “is an exceptional 12 round fighter, but 3x3 minute rounds are my domain, this is my game”

Although only four fights into the professional game Neil has “sparred with every lunatic in the country” and recently kept going back for more sparring with John McDermott (prepping him for his Tyson Fury bout), an old sparring foe of his Pele Reid commented on Neil that “it was good to have a regular sparring partner for more than the usual month” (Neil lasted 12months, coming back for more and refusing to break like those before him).

Neil surrenders quite openly that he “doesn’t have any god given talent” but has worked for everything he’s got”, he cites his attributes as “very, very fast hands, a solid chin and plenty of heart”. Neil believes he can be a handful for any of the contenders in the tournament and looking ahead to the bout with Danny Hughes, I asked him if any tension had cropped up at yesterday’s promotional shoot…

After admitting he spent “all day yesterday doing it” [promotional activities], and finding it “harder than a day’s training!” , In particular being asked repeatedly about Messrs Harrison and Williams, and “How does it feel to box potentially an Olympic Gold Medallist, an how does it feel to box the man who knocked out Mike Tyson”

Neil was happy to admit that all the combatants “are gentleman” (Authors Note: Did anyone else however notice, one particular boxer, was spuriously absent from the shoot…) and had the following to say on the fighters:

“Scott Gammer, is in fantastic shape, looks awesome”

“Coleman Barret is a tough-aggressive south-paw” (Neil having sparred him in the past)

“Scott Belshaw is going to give Audley Harrison a few problems over 3rounds, that’s a big strong guy coming towards you”

In regard to Danny Hughes, Neil admitted to having sparred him in the past, up in the North-East along with David Ferguson and David Dolan and believes it’s the “draw of the first round” with both guys besting each other in sparring, a little bit of history is already in place before the opening bell rings.

Neil speaks like a man, genuinely appreciative to be involved in boxing and states he “loves the sport”, so much so in fact, he has made it his bread and butter, opening the Fighting Fit City Gym (http://www.fightingfitcitygym.com) and creating Birmingham’s premier white collar boxing gym. Speaking as passionately about his gym as his in-ring antics, Neil admits that a number of gyms use the ‘white collar’ name to run “very low grade unlicensed fights”, keen to ensure that’s not the case under his roof, Neil ensures they operate at the “top-end” of the white-collar boxing market having “great facilities and fantastic trainers”. Neil states there is never any pressure on anyone to fight as soon as they walk through the gym-doors, commenting that;

“95% of our members just train for fitness…it gives them an appreciation of the sport, just to realise how fit you have to be…only 1 in 20 spar…and importantly everyone can Box at their own level.”

Neil hopes to open new premises early next year to expand the business and is eager to put on a “great show” for the fans he will bring with him next week to the London Excel Arena.

All at www.fightfranchise.com wish him the very best in the Prizefighter tournament and this particular writer promises to actually pop into Neil’s gym in the forthcoming weeks as opposed to merely walking past it day-in-day-out.

*Log onto:

- www.fightingfitcitygym.com ; To check out Birmingham’s Premier White Collar Boxing and Boxing Fitness Gym.

- www.theprizefighterseries.com ; For more on the forthcoming tournament.