Tony Jeffreys interview
Posted: 28 Oct 2009, 11:58
.ShareThis..Q & A with Tony Jeffries
One of Britain’s most talented, exciting up and coming boxers Tony “Jaffa” Jeffries took time out of his hectic schedule to update us on his activities. When we last spoke Jeffries was fielding promotional offers to turn pro before ultimately signing with Frank Maloney who’s guided him to 4-0(3). It’s been a busy year for Jeffries whose four fights have all taken place in hometown of Sunderland where he’s incredibly popular. Here’s what the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist had to say.
Hello Tony, welcome back
Anson Wainwright - Since we last spoke you’ve started out on your path as a pro fighting going 4-0(3). How have you felt the fights have gone so far? Are you happy with your progress?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah I’m happy with the way things have gone, I’m still learning and I think I will get better and better with time and experience.
Anson Wainwright - When are you scheduled to be back in action next? Do you have a venue and an opponent?
Tony Jeffries - My next fight will be the 20th of November in Nottingham on the Rendall Munroe under card. I’m not sure if Frank has got me an opponent yet he doesn’t tell me straight away because I find it hard to keep it quiet, I end up putting it on twitter and it ends up getting in the press before he’s announced it haha
Anson Wainwright - Your incredibly popular in your hometown of Sunderland where you’ve had all your fights so far. Is Jeffries fever in Sunderland like Manny Mania in the Philippines?
Tony Jeffries - No haha Pacman can’t walk the streets where as I can. The support I have is amazing though people come up and tell me I’m doing the city proud, up here in the northeast everyone is very proud people, their very proud of there own. Like the Football teams supporters are one of the best in the country.
Anson Wainwright - After your first fight when you were training with Joe Gallagher who also trains European & British Middleweight champion Matthew Macklin, British Lightweight champ John Murray & your fellow Olympian Joe Murray. However you’re not with Gallagher anymore what can you tell us about the change in trainers and who are you with now?
Tony Jeffries - After I left Joe back in March I started training with Bobby Rimmer who’s Ricky Hatton’s former assistant coach and has worked a lot with top fighters in the past like Matthew Macklin, Mike Gomez and Paul Smith. The training is good, and he’s got a good stable of top prospect fighters at the mintnte including Brian Rose, Jack Arnfield and Kieran Farrell who are all undefeated. I rent a flat out in Manchester and train here 5 days a week with Bobby. I also do my strength work and nutrition with Kerry Kayes who’s the best in the business. It’s good to train away from home because I’ve got no distractions here, whereas in Sunderland I’m forever getting asked to visit schools, do charity work and things like that and I find it hard to say no. I think that’s part of the reason I’m popular because I do loads of charity work, I’ve raised over £50,000 since I got back from Beijing.
Anson Wainwright - What weight class are you competing in? As an amateur you fought at Light Heavyweight whereas in some of your fights you’ve been just over the Super Middleweight limit?
Tony Jeffries - When I come to fighting for titles I will fight at Super Middleweight, the heaviest I’ve been in any of my fights so far is 12.4st so I’d do Super Middle comfortably when I have to.
Anson Wainwright - What do you think of the Super 6? What did you think of the first round of fights?
Tony Jeffries - I think it’s great and very exciting. I haven’t seen the Taylor Abraham fight but watched the Froch fight and I was impressed with Direll. I’ve been speaking to Direll on twitter and he seems like a nice lad. I thought it could have gone either way but before the fight I would have put money on Froch to KO him.
Anson Wainwright - Since going pro what top fighters have you sparred with and what can you tell us about this?
Tony Jeffries – I’ve sparred with Paul Smith, Mathew Macklin, Jamie Moore who are all my friends and I’ve been recently sparring with Ovil McKenzie who won Prizefighter Cruiserweight. It’s good to spar with these lads I learn from them, they are very experienced.
Anson Wainwright - You went back packing in the summer and ended up in Las Vegas and you got to meet and train with Floyd Mayweather Jnr. can you tell us about your trip and how you ended up meeting Mayweather and what the experience was like?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah I went away for 3 weeks backpacking around South and North America in July with my girlfriend and our last 6 days where in Las Vegas. I saw there was a boxing show on in Vegas and sent a friend who has loads of connections in boxing a text telling him I was going to go to the show and he put me in touch with a fella who coached in Floyd’s gym called Cornelius. He invited me down to do a bit training and watch Floyd train. It was something I couldn’t refuse because I’m a massive fan of Floyd. So off I went and it was a great experience meeting Floyd and Roger Mayweather. It really made my trip.
Anson Wainwright - I believe you’re taking part in a bet with Sunderland Football player Darren Bent with the loser giving to proceeds to charity. What can you tell us about the bet?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah we’re having a bet to see who can get 10,000 followers on twitter 1st. He’s battering me haha so if you’re on twitter give me a hand and follow, its Tony_jeffries. I’d appreciate it.
Anson Wainwright - Sadly back in September your team mate at Maloney Promotions Darren Sutherland took his own life. You would have known Darren on a personal level. What can you tell us about this sad loss and the impact it had on you and other people around Maloney Promotions?
Tony Jeffries - It was a massive shock to me and everyone. It’s been hard for everyone especially Frank Maloney who was a good friend of Darren as well as being his promoter.
Anson Wainwright - Finally do you have a message for your fans?
Tony Jeffries - I love yous all, your my inspiration!
Thanks for your time Tony and keep up the good work.
Anson Wainwrigt
spam.com
One of Britain’s most talented, exciting up and coming boxers Tony “Jaffa” Jeffries took time out of his hectic schedule to update us on his activities. When we last spoke Jeffries was fielding promotional offers to turn pro before ultimately signing with Frank Maloney who’s guided him to 4-0(3). It’s been a busy year for Jeffries whose four fights have all taken place in hometown of Sunderland where he’s incredibly popular. Here’s what the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist had to say.
Hello Tony, welcome back
Anson Wainwright - Since we last spoke you’ve started out on your path as a pro fighting going 4-0(3). How have you felt the fights have gone so far? Are you happy with your progress?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah I’m happy with the way things have gone, I’m still learning and I think I will get better and better with time and experience.
Anson Wainwright - When are you scheduled to be back in action next? Do you have a venue and an opponent?
Tony Jeffries - My next fight will be the 20th of November in Nottingham on the Rendall Munroe under card. I’m not sure if Frank has got me an opponent yet he doesn’t tell me straight away because I find it hard to keep it quiet, I end up putting it on twitter and it ends up getting in the press before he’s announced it haha
Anson Wainwright - Your incredibly popular in your hometown of Sunderland where you’ve had all your fights so far. Is Jeffries fever in Sunderland like Manny Mania in the Philippines?
Tony Jeffries - No haha Pacman can’t walk the streets where as I can. The support I have is amazing though people come up and tell me I’m doing the city proud, up here in the northeast everyone is very proud people, their very proud of there own. Like the Football teams supporters are one of the best in the country.
Anson Wainwright - After your first fight when you were training with Joe Gallagher who also trains European & British Middleweight champion Matthew Macklin, British Lightweight champ John Murray & your fellow Olympian Joe Murray. However you’re not with Gallagher anymore what can you tell us about the change in trainers and who are you with now?
Tony Jeffries - After I left Joe back in March I started training with Bobby Rimmer who’s Ricky Hatton’s former assistant coach and has worked a lot with top fighters in the past like Matthew Macklin, Mike Gomez and Paul Smith. The training is good, and he’s got a good stable of top prospect fighters at the mintnte including Brian Rose, Jack Arnfield and Kieran Farrell who are all undefeated. I rent a flat out in Manchester and train here 5 days a week with Bobby. I also do my strength work and nutrition with Kerry Kayes who’s the best in the business. It’s good to train away from home because I’ve got no distractions here, whereas in Sunderland I’m forever getting asked to visit schools, do charity work and things like that and I find it hard to say no. I think that’s part of the reason I’m popular because I do loads of charity work, I’ve raised over £50,000 since I got back from Beijing.
Anson Wainwright - What weight class are you competing in? As an amateur you fought at Light Heavyweight whereas in some of your fights you’ve been just over the Super Middleweight limit?
Tony Jeffries - When I come to fighting for titles I will fight at Super Middleweight, the heaviest I’ve been in any of my fights so far is 12.4st so I’d do Super Middle comfortably when I have to.
Anson Wainwright - What do you think of the Super 6? What did you think of the first round of fights?
Tony Jeffries - I think it’s great and very exciting. I haven’t seen the Taylor Abraham fight but watched the Froch fight and I was impressed with Direll. I’ve been speaking to Direll on twitter and he seems like a nice lad. I thought it could have gone either way but before the fight I would have put money on Froch to KO him.
Anson Wainwright - Since going pro what top fighters have you sparred with and what can you tell us about this?
Tony Jeffries – I’ve sparred with Paul Smith, Mathew Macklin, Jamie Moore who are all my friends and I’ve been recently sparring with Ovil McKenzie who won Prizefighter Cruiserweight. It’s good to spar with these lads I learn from them, they are very experienced.
Anson Wainwright - You went back packing in the summer and ended up in Las Vegas and you got to meet and train with Floyd Mayweather Jnr. can you tell us about your trip and how you ended up meeting Mayweather and what the experience was like?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah I went away for 3 weeks backpacking around South and North America in July with my girlfriend and our last 6 days where in Las Vegas. I saw there was a boxing show on in Vegas and sent a friend who has loads of connections in boxing a text telling him I was going to go to the show and he put me in touch with a fella who coached in Floyd’s gym called Cornelius. He invited me down to do a bit training and watch Floyd train. It was something I couldn’t refuse because I’m a massive fan of Floyd. So off I went and it was a great experience meeting Floyd and Roger Mayweather. It really made my trip.
Anson Wainwright - I believe you’re taking part in a bet with Sunderland Football player Darren Bent with the loser giving to proceeds to charity. What can you tell us about the bet?
Tony Jeffries - Yeah we’re having a bet to see who can get 10,000 followers on twitter 1st. He’s battering me haha so if you’re on twitter give me a hand and follow, its Tony_jeffries. I’d appreciate it.
Anson Wainwright - Sadly back in September your team mate at Maloney Promotions Darren Sutherland took his own life. You would have known Darren on a personal level. What can you tell us about this sad loss and the impact it had on you and other people around Maloney Promotions?
Tony Jeffries - It was a massive shock to me and everyone. It’s been hard for everyone especially Frank Maloney who was a good friend of Darren as well as being his promoter.
Anson Wainwright - Finally do you have a message for your fans?
Tony Jeffries - I love yous all, your my inspiration!
Thanks for your time Tony and keep up the good work.
Anson Wainwrigt
spam.com
