BoxRec

Q & A with “Funtime” Frankie Gavin

One of the fights dubbed the “The Magnificent Seven” will see one of Britain’s top prospects “Funtime” Frankie Gavin 7-0(6) bid for his first first title in the paid ranks when he fights Michael Kelly for the Irish Light Welterweight crown. In this fight Gavin will look to add another victory that he hopes will see him go one step closer to becoming the British Champion which he hopes to challenge for in the near future. The 24 year old achieved something no English fighter ever had in the amateur’s when he won the World Championships stunning two time Olympic Gold medallist Aleksei Tishchenko on route to the final. He then headed to Beijing with high hopes of completing the double, unfortunately he was unable to make the weight and couldn’t compete. He then opted to turn pro under the stewardship of allegedly and is currently trained by Anthony Farnell. Here’s what Gavin had to say.


Hello Frankie, welcome back to 15 rounds. com

Anson Wainwright - Firstly it’s been awhile since we spoke you have started off your pro career very impressively going 7-0(6) what are your thoughts on how things have gone so far in your career?

Frankie Gavin - Everything has gone to plan. I’ve stayed undefeated. I haven’t lost or drawn a round as a pro. So far everything has gone to plan.

Anson Wainwright - You will be looking to win your first title when you fight for the Vacant Irish Title against Michael Kelly, what do you know about Kelly & what do you expect him to bring to the fight?

Frankie Gavin - I think he’s a decent fighter. He was a really good amateur but it’s a completely different game now (In the pro’s). He’s very strong, he looks like he can fight a bit, but I’ve seen he makes quite a few mistakes so I’ll take advantage of that.

Anson Wainwright - This fight will be scheduled for 10 rounds, so far you haven’t been beyond 6. What are your thoughts on that?

Frankie Gavin - I do it in the gym fine. I spar Light Middle’s, I spar 8-10 with Mattie Hall (Hall is the former Commonwealth Light Middleweight champion who is 23-2(16) as a pro. So to do that with Mattie Hall I can easily do it with Michael Kelly.

Anson Wainwright - What are your feelings on the September 18 show in general, it must be a tremendous honour to be from the host City of such a big event?

Frankie Gavin - Yeah it’s brilliant. Obviously Macklin’s on, he’s going to knock Barker out. I don’t really like to comment on Brook & Jennings because I know them both. Then I think Maccarinelli & Cleverly are going to be fine. Degale is going to smash Dilks in four rounds. I think I’ll do Kelly easily enough. Chisora-Sexton is another one like Brook & Jennings. Such a good show. Don Broadhurst whoever he fights I think he’ll be fine. I think it’s such a good show. Ronnie Heffron & Joe Selkirk have just been added.

Editors Note: This interview took place on the 31 August, since then Darren Barker has pulled out with a hip injury.

Anson Wainwright - You were originally scheduled to fight Curtis Woodhouse. He played Football for your beloved Birmingham City F.C would that of been strange for you beating up a guy you had once cheered from the stands?

Frankie Gavin - No not one bit. He gets carried away, he thinks he’s the next big think thing, in all honesty he’s nothing more than an area fighter in my opinion.

Anson Wainwright - Without getting ahead of ourselves you obviously hope to achieve big things in Boxing, all being well after the 18 September what would you like to do next? What are your plans for say the next 6 months to a year?

Frankie Gavin - I want to be British Champion at least. I want to be challenging. In my opinion I’m ready for Lenny Daws, I want Lenny Daws. I want Nigel Wright, Lenny Daws anybody ahead of me in the rankings. In some people’s eyes Woodhouse is ahead of me but he’s not, people who know Boxing know he’s not ahead of me in the rankings. I want people who are genuinely ahead of me there the people i really want to fight.

Anson Wainwright - You have been cut a few times so far, you’ve dealt with the adversity well. Do you think this could be a problem for you? Have you looked into it?

Frankie Gavin - It’s one of those things. They’ve been head clashes. It hasn’t really bothered me. Just really one of those things, I’m not bothered about it. If it really bothered me you’d of seen me fold and go on the back foot and get worried but if anything it spurs me on. So far nothings really bothered me. I’ve been hit a few times with 8 ounce gloves and I’ve taken it. I haven’t been shaken as yet obviously it’s going to happen one day but I’ll deal with that when it happens. Once I’ve been punched and cut I’ll thing something must be wrong, but it’s always been with the head really hard. Anyone who gets hit with the heads going to cut.

Anson Wainwright - You were obviously part of the 2008 British Olympic team though you didn’t fight. With the exception of two who stayed in the amateur’s the rest have gone pro. How do you feel they have all done so far? Do you stay in contact with them all?

Frankie Gavin - Yeah I still speak to them all Price, Jeffries, Degale, Billy Joe Saunders & Joe Murray. We’re all friends, the good thing is we’re all still undefeated, none of us have been beat. As long as none of us can not get beat we’ll all be champions.

Anson Wainwright - From a British point of view the Light Welterweight division is stacked with talent. Amir Khan is a World Champion, Paul McCloskey is the European Champion plus British champ Lenny Daws, English holder Nigel Wright. What are your thoughts on those guys?

Frankie Gavin - I’ll beat in my opinion Nigel Wright now. I’m a better southpaw than him, I’m a better boxer than him. He thinks he’s a big puncher, but he’s not one of those guys I’m going to have to go looking for. Same with Lenny Daws. When I first went pro it would of been over 4 rounds, now I’m doing 6 I know I’d beat him over 6. I’ve done 8 and if I get my 10 & 12’s sorted I’ll beat him of that then. As long as I can do 10 rounds they can’t beat me. I’m a better boxing, they haven’t got variation like me they haven’t got the elusiveness like me.

Anson Wainwright - A fight with McCloskey would be huge in Ireland as would a fight with Khan in Britain. What are your thoughts on those guys?

Frankie Gavin - They’re at the very back of my mind. I’ve got a lot of things to prove and achieve before I can look to those guys. There doing things I can only dream about at the moment. When the time comes we’ll see. At the moment those two are well ahead of me so I’m not even looking at them.

Anson Wainwright - Finally do you have a message for your fans and anyone who maybe thinking of coming to the “Magnificent Seven” show on the 18 September?

Frankie Gavin - Just come, it’s going to be a great night. Your going to see some of Britain’s finest and it wont disappoint i’m sure of that.

Thanks for your time Frankie, keep up the good work

Anson Wainwright
15 rounds. com

MachoMan09 wrote:Nice interview, mate. Frankie is a confident little fecker. I am really going to enjoy watching his career develop.

Thank you, i agree he is confident in his ability which is very good, he always comes across well because there is a thin line between confidence & arrogance and he's definately just confident.

I'm also enjoying watching his career develop. Good to see him being moved along a a good pace. Khan was moved slowly for a few years before he really made the leap.

Good interview and good answers. I agree with Frankie about Curtis Woodhouse. He is higher in the British rankings, but is really a boxing novice. I'm not sure if Frankie would stop him, but he'd certainly take every round off him.

Newport Daz wrote:Good interview and good answers. I agree with Frankie about Curtis Woodhouse. He is higher in the British rankings, but is really a boxing novice. I'm not sure if Frankie would stop him, but he'd certainly take every round off him.

I'd stop him mate

I think the Nigel Wright fight is one i'd want to watch, i'd give Frankie a couple more fights before taking Wright on, just to get him a bit more experience, but i think by end of the year that fight should be made.

not a chance funtime outbox me yea your a miles better boxer than me im not even gunna dispute that but stop me not a chance and just because your a better boxer doesnt mean you would win the fight but theres only one way to find out like i said to arnie if you want me im here no homo

curtis wood wrote:like i said to arnie if you want me im here no homo

Quality

I think boxing fans want to see this fight - a little bit of needle helps sell the fight and in terms of Frankie's progression a 10 rounder with Curtis after the Irish title fight and before he challenges for the British would fit in just nice I reckon.

I hope this one happens

Old bones Ian wrote:I think the Nigel Wright fight is one i'd want to watch, i'd give Frankie a couple more fights before taking Wright on, just to get him a bit more experience, but i think by end of the year that fight should be made.

I think Frankie would beat Wright now - he's just that good. Providing Frankie gets a good 10-12 rounds in soon, I'd fancy him against Daws too.

absolutely J, i think Daws' fitness may give him just a bit of a test but stylewise daws is made for him, Wright too.

Top interview. It is nice to see he is not looking beyond the British title as yet as he knows he still has decent people to beat to get there.

Seriously Frankie though, you have to get in against Curtis, you have both done a lot of talking on the matter but you dont want to look like you are avoiding him. It is a fight we all want to see.

Well I ent done no avoiding an won't do any but if I can get wright or daws before wood house I will take it an then I believe It will be a bridge too far for wood house than well I'm a better boxer u say I know myself I have got a good chin so if it happens there is only one outcome IMO but I got Kelly next so if I beat Him get on to dean an as u no the fight can be made

Frankie Gavin wrote:Well I ent done no avoiding an won't do any but if I can get wright or daws before wood house I will take it an then I believe It will be a bridge too far for wood house than well I'm a better boxer u say I know myself I have got a good chin so if it happens there is only one outcome IMO but I got Kelly next so if I beat Him get on to dean an as u no the fight can be made

Good answer Frankie. Good luck against Kelly (not that you'll need it really), I will be there chearing you on anyway. Oh and Frankie, give us at least 2 rounds of action, don't be blowing him away too quick.

Frankie Gavin wrote:Well I ent done no avoiding an won't do any but if I can get wright or daws before wood house I will take it an then I believe It will be a bridge too far for wood house than well I'm a better boxer u say I know myself I have got a good chin so if it happens there is only one outcome IMO but I got Kelly next so if I beat Him get on to dean an as u no the fight can be made

how do you know you have got a good chin??

anyhow woodhouse shouldnt be able to hit you.

I haven't been down in 135 fights an I spar big hitters yes there bigger gloves but there bigger than me an I never said wood house would hit me but sure u get hit once in a fight but obviously the higher I step the more my chin will be tested so were find out

Frankie Gavin wrote:I haven't been down in 135 fights an I spar big hitters yes there bigger gloves but there bigger than me an I never said wood house would hit me but sure u get hit once in a fight but obviously the higher I step the more my chin will be tested so were find out

Only time I can ever remember you looking buzzed Frankie was against Kindelan - he was at the top of the am game at the time though and you were still a kid only growing and getting better so know shame there.

Can you remember did he buzz you or is my memory bad?

Frankie

Interesting to say you would like Daws - I think you'd have his no to be fair.

I guess the top guy in your division in Britain is Paul McCloskey - another top amateur who has taken his time and got to the top - I would love to see you and him fight sometime in the future.

Cheers

T

Frankie Gavin wrote:I haven't been down in 135 fights an I spar big hitters yes there bigger gloves but there bigger than me an I never said wood house would hit me but sure u get hit once in a fight but obviously the higher I step the more my chin will be tested so were find out

no wonder you have so much confidence.i remember when khan first started to get rattled he wanted to prove his chin all the time, which is silly.
you have the skill's to make it easy but seem hot headed at times, but no two way's about it your looking impressive & look strong somthing that shocked me as a spectator.

Frankie Gavin wrote:

Newport Daz wrote:Good interview and good answers. I agree with Frankie about Curtis Woodhouse. He is higher in the British rankings, but is really a boxing novice. I'm not sure if Frankie would stop him, but he'd certainly take every round off him.

I'd stop him mate

well why dont you just fight him and beat him as easly as you say you would if he is ranked above you then you must beat him ?????

1southpaw wrote:

Frankie Gavin wrote:

Newport Daz wrote:Good interview and good answers. I agree with Frankie about Curtis Woodhouse. He is higher in the British rankings, but is really a boxing novice. I'm not sure if Frankie would stop him, but he'd certainly take every round off him.

I'd stop him mate

well why dont you just fight him and beat him as easly as you say you would if he is ranked above you then you must beat him ?????

I was suppose to fight him an he pulled out injured remember !

Frankie Gavin wrote:

1southpaw wrote:

Frankie Gavin wrote: I'd stop him mate

well why dont you just fight him and beat him as easly as you say you would if he is ranked above you then you must beat him ?????

I was suppose to fight him an he pulled out injured remember !

so why don't your manager just put it on at a later date ??? i dont mean to get on your case about it but i just think it will be a good fight for both the boxers and the fans who pay your wages ??

He might do who knows I would rather fight wright or daws or Williams but if Curtis Is made it will be a fight I want but there are not no rewards from it I'm getting to the stage now where I want to fight for a domestic title

frankie what if you was in a club in the brum in your sunglasses sipping a j20 & your song funtime frankie start's playing???

do you...

A. raise your glass as a salute

B.get up & start shadow boxing.

C.undo your shirt & start dry humping every ho insight

you dont have to answer but what do you think degale would do DD

hurlock wrote:frankie what if you was in a club in the brum in your sunglasses sipping a j20 & your song funtime frankie start's playing???

do you...

A. raise your glass as a salute

B.get up & start shadow boxing.

C.undo your shirt & start dry humping every ho insight

you dont have to answer but what do you think degale would do DD

Degale prob shadow box lol an I am extra careful I would get my Vaseline out an C!!!

cheer's frankie for keeping it real & dealing with the bitches D

degale would find a mirror in an instant even if the only mirror was the size of a mosaic tile he'd find it!!& would prob get slung out for touching himself indecently

Personally, I think it would be a shame if the Woodhouse fight didn't come off. The pair of them have sold the fight really well. Boxing is a business and think this fight would sell plenty of tickets. The papers would have a good angle with the ex-pro footballer Vs the world amateur star angle and Curtis is no shrinking violet that's for sure. The Sun would give it space, I'm sure. I appreciate Lenny Daws et al are more highly ranked, but Gavin Vs Woodhouse would do better business imo. Let's get it on boys.