Steed looking forward to being new boy on the block at Norwich show
Joe Steed with trainers Jon Thaxton, left, and Graham Everett. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
Wisbech boxer Joe Steed steps into the ring for the first time as a professional on Friday night – and is backed to become a big hit.
The 20-year light-middleweight has been training with Graham Everett in Norwich, rubbing shoulders with a clutch of British title-winning fighters, including twins Liam and Ryan Walsh and heavyweight Sam Sexton.
A big Wisbech Town football fan, Steed is expected to take a good crowd of Fenmen over the border.
Steed worked with Simon Lee in Wisbech and later joined the March ABC before working more and more with Everett's Norwich gym – enough to convince the trainer to get pro papers signed.
'I had about 25 amateur fights,' he said. 'I would like to have had more, but I have always wanted to turn pro.
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'My main goal is to get a few learning fights, get in with some good names. It's a brilliant gym in Norwich, a great atmosphere and I get world class sparring and of course I work with Graham and Jono (Thaxton) and it doesn't get much better than that.
'Now I just can't wait to get into the ring and, hopefully, go on to win some titles.'
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And Everett, one of the country's most respected trainers, is expecting big things from the former Peele School, Long Sutton, pupil – starting with tomorrow's dinner show in Norwich when he faces Bolton's Chris Jenkinson.
'We've been working constantly with Joe for about a year and a half now,' said Everett. 'He is a great character – he's here five or six days a week, travelling from Wisbech, which is testament to his dedication.
'He is a good lad to work with, and he has a lot of potential. I like him – the fact that he comes here every day, he deserves every bit of attention he gets.
'It is a pat on the back for me and (fellow trainer) Jon Thaxton and it also shows a lot of respect and a lot of determination from him to come all the way up here and train with us.
'There is definitely something about Joe. He has got a good skill set - if he gets hurt he wants to hurt you back, very quickly. He has a lot of what you see in very good kids – he is young, he is a project for us. He is not going to have a load of easy fights, he is going to have building fights – not that there is such a thing as an easy fight. But we can build on things with Joe – I like him... I like him a lot.'
