http://www.livefight.com/news.php?news_ ... =2010&m=03
By Peter Bamforth
Firstly Tony, on behalf of LiveFight.com id like to thank you for taking some time out to answer a few questions, how’s things?
Yeah great, I’m doing well thanks.
Joining the Pro ranks as an Olympic medallist has put you more under the spotlight than most, has this added to the pressure and expectation put upon you?
It has, like you say I am in the spotlight and it feels like sometimes there are people out there waiting for a mistake or a slip up so they can pick up on it, but winning an Olympic medal brings its own pressure so its something I’m used to.
Your style is well suited to the Pro game and you have settled well into the paid ranks, How do you feel your progression has been thus far?
I feel like I’m progressing well and I know my opponents are going to start stepping up in class this year. I think my style is well suited to the Pros, I’m a big puncher, I’m strong and I’m finding out more and more about my body as a Pro. As an Amateur I was just training and getting on with it really, but as a Pro I’m finding out more about my body and how it works, how my body gets itself into shape and I’m getting stronger all the time, you can really see the difference.
You’re being helped along by the world renowned nutritionist Kerry Kayes, that must be invaluable
It really is, he’s been brilliant, its absolutely fantastic to have him on board, he is definitely the best nutritionist around and I’m very lucky to be able to have him. He’s a good friend of mine and a top bloke.
You had to pull out of your scheduled fight with Nathan King when you injured your hand in training, how’s the hand holding up?
Great, it wasn’t a really serious injury but Frank Maloney just wanted me to be safe rather than sorry and avoid the possibility of making it any worse than it actually was. The hand is fully healed now and I’m absolutely raring to go.
So when can we expect to see you again Tony?
I’m fighting on the undercard of Randall Munroe’s WBC title eliminator on the 23rd of April and I can’t wait, id fight sooner if I could, I’m itching to get back into the ring.
Speaking of training, You’re now based back in Sunderland full time, what prompted the move back home?
As an Amateur I lived away from home for two years, I was down in Sheffield and when I was there I was in a team of about 12 lads, but when I turned pro I was all alone and living and training in Manchester five days a week. It does get to you, I missed everybody at home and it gets a little bit lonely after a while. Even though I was in the gym with my coach two or three hours a day I was still doing my runs by myself and the rest of the time I was alone, it started to get to the point where I was getting home sick. I switched trainers and I’m lucky that Bobby (Rimmer) has agreed to come up and train me in Sunderland.
Sunderland obviously plays a big part in your life and you have a very loyal and vocal fan base, are they a big driving force for you to succeed?
Massive, it means everything to have that support. I’m not only representing myself and my family but I’m representing the city and the whole of the north east. The people of Sunderland have been fantastic, they have really been getting behind me and I get people coming up to me in the street telling me that I’m doing them all proud. To me that means more than winning an Olympic medal. The same goes with young kids getting into the gym and trying to recreate my success, inspiring them is worth more than anything to me.
You recently opened your own gym, The Olympian, with your dad Phil. Is it good to see the effect on the local community?
Yeah it really is, there are some good Amateurs that train there as well as a few pros and that’s where I train as well. If we can bring through some young talent ready for the 2016 Olympics then that would be the ultimate goal but even to bring through some national champions would be fantastic. Its been a real success, some nights we have sixty kids in the gym, young kids from eight years old upwards, its keeping them active and off the streets and off their computers.
Is the traditional route of British, Commonwealth and European titles the way you would like progress?
Ohh definitely, the British title is the one, then obviously id like to go for the Commonwealth and then the European before looking to World honours. I don’t try and look too far into the future though, There’s a saying that if you look too far into the future you forget what is in front of you and that’s when you start to make mistakes. I just try and concentrate on where I am now and take one fight at a time, I’m just going to work my hardest and see what I can achieve.
You are currently in and around the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions, where do you see yourself settling?
Super Middleweight, that’s the one I’m aiming for at the minute. I’ve been coming in at 12st 3lb - 12st 4lb and I’ve been making that very comfortably. I’ve been speaking to Carl Froch recently and he does Super Middleweight pretty easily compared to most fighters and he has been giving me some brilliant advice about my weight, he says I’ve got a great frame to go up to Light Heavyweight and be effective in the future too.
Britain has a range of young talent in and around the 168lb - 175lb divisions, guys like DeGale, Groves, Bellew, Cleverly and Smith. Are they all guys that you can see meeting in the future?
I think so yes, everybody’s talking about it and there are certainly fights in there that everybody wants to see. There will be exciting times in the future I’m sure. I know most of the fighters you have mentioned and I can see a few good fights down the line but I can never imagine myself fighting Paul Smith as were close family friends, but the other fights would be great for British boxing.
You have been down in Sheffield recently sparring the Current WBC Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch, how was that experience?
It was fantastic, really, really good. It may sound a bit odd but I was surprised how good he was, he’s got it all. You see him fighting with a low left hand and you think to yourself that he is open for the right hand but his defence is brilliant. I’ve been around the world and sparred all sorts of fighters and I’m really impressed with Froch, likewise he said how good I was and that he would like me to spar him more in preparation for the Kessler fight, which is a huge compliment and its given me a great confidence boost.
Having that kind of first hand experience with Froch, who do you think will win the upcoming fight between Froch and Kessler?
Froch all day, I think it will be a great fight. Carls fights are exciting, he always comes to fight. The fight against Pascal proved how good Froch is and I think the fight against Kessler will be similar. I see Froch coming out on top.
While were on the subject of predictions, what do you think of former Froch victim Jean Pascal’s chances in his WBC Light Heavyweight title fight against Chad Dawson?
I rate Dawson, I really do rate him, I think its going to be an exciting fight because you can never write Pascal off, he’s tough and determined with a great chin but I’m edging towards Dawson in this fight.
In recent times there have been a few British fighters who have been plying their trade in America, Is that somewhere you would like to fight sometime in the future?
Yeah definitely. The boxing over there is great and hopefully I can go over there at some point in the future. Fighting in America would be a great experience and one I think I would learn a lot from.
Who are the guys in the sport you look up to?
The likes of Carl Froch and David Haye are both great. While I was in London doing the Lets Dance For Sport Relief show I met Duke McKenzie and Johnny Nelson who I have a lot of respect for, they are both gentlemen. They were all giving me loads of advice which is priceless and I really look up to them and what they achieved in the sport.
What are the things you hope to have achieved by the time you hang up the gloves?
Selling out the Stadium of Light. Packing that out would be fantastic, but whatever I can achieve I will take. If I’m good enough to win titles then that will be fantastic, The Lonsdale title is beautiful and id love to win one outright. I held Froch’s WBC title when we were in London and it sent shivers down my spine and hopefully one day I’ll get the chance to fight for one of those and hopefully win one.
Finally Tony, you’re a big fan of both Twitter and Facebook, but if you had to pick just one which would it be?
Ermmm, (laughs) Twitter. I’ve got it on my phone and I’m never off it.
On Behalf of LiveFight.com id like to thank Tony for his time and we wish him all the luck and success in the future. You can keep up to date with Tony through his Twitter ( http://twitter.com/tony_jeffries ) and his Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tony-Jeffries/15723349387 )
DD 
