BoxRec

British Welterweight Champion Bradley Skeete is on the verge of winning the British Title outright and wants to move on to World level, assuming he successfully defends his belt against Shayne Singleton on Friday night.

The rangy Welterweight recently spoke to iFL TV on his career, what’s next and his rivalry with fellow Brit Sam Eggington, who Skeete outpointed last March to win the Lord Lonsdale belt.

When asked about Eggington’s recent European Title win, the Penge fighter was unperturbed. “Very good performance. I get it all the time on Twitter, ‘Look at Sam Eggington, look at what he’s done since you beat him’ - I don’t base my career looking at what Sam Eggington is doing.”

“I beat Sam for the British Title. If [Eggington] had beaten me he’d still have the British Title, he’d be doing the same as me, waiting to defend it, getting the defenses in to win it outright. He lost to me, I’ve taken the British route. I’m not bad mouthing him or anything.”

“It’s a fight that can happen again, but I don’t need to chase him and I’m sure he doesn’t need to be chasing me.”

Skeete already considers himself European-level, and is ready for the big fights, but isn’t willing to look past his June 2nd defence. “I don’t want to look ahead or past the British Title, I got two fights ahead of me, then maybe move on, get some good fights at World level, then one day perform my dream of being a World Champion.”

Eggington has leap frogged Skeete by a considerable margin.

Egg is on the verge of getting a world title shot. Skeete may pick up the European after Egg has a few defences and vacates for a world title shot.

Skeete is behind Eggington now. That's why hes fighting the Singletons and Thains.

TheLeprechaun wrote:Eggington has leap frogged Skeete by a considerable margin.

Egg is on the verge of getting a world title shot. Skeete may pick up the European after Egg has a few defences and vacates for a world title shot.

Skeete is behind Eggington now. That's why hes fighting the Singletons and Thains.

Skeete wants to win the British outright and thus is concentrating on that.

Eggington is ahead in terms of belts, but in terms of ability, no chance. I think Skeete would comfortably beat everybody Eggington has beaten since the two met.

Note, Skeete is ranked top 5 by both the WBO and IBF.

ozzy1875 wrote:Skeete wants to win the British outright and thus is concentrating on that.

Why hasn't he done that already?

Why did he waste time fighting Lepelley last year when he could have made an extra defence of his British title?

With the level of opposition he has been facing as British champion, he could have won it outright within 6 months.

He's wasting his career.

Horse wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote:Skeete wants to win the British outright and thus is concentrating on that.

Why hasn't he done that already?

Why did he waste time fighting Lepelley last year when he could have made an extra defence of his British title?

With the level of opposition he has been facing as British champion, he could have won it outright within 6 months.

He's wasting his career.

Maybe there wasn't anyone available at the time to defend British? I'm not sure. That WBO European title helps his ranking and Frank loves them. This fight on Friday doesn't get me remotely excited though. It's great to have a British belt for keeps but I'd like to see him in bigger tests. That's what he needs. He's what nearly 30?

Skeete better than eggington but eggington has in theory over taken him in terms of ranking progression

Stuarty30 wrote:Maybe there wasn't anyone available at the time to defend British? I'm not sure.

No one in the domestic top 20 was willing to fight for the British title?

It's not as if Skeete is picky about who he fights for it.

Stuarty30 wrote:That WBO European title helps his ranking and Frank loves them. This fight on Friday doesn't get me remotely excited though. It's great to have a British belt for keeps but I'd like to see him in bigger tests. That's what he needs. He's what nearly 30?

Can't he defend that silly belt at the same time as he defends the British title?

Horse wrote:

Stuarty30 wrote:Maybe there wasn't anyone available at the time to defend British? I'm not sure.

No one in the domestic top 20 was willing to fight for the British title?

It's not as if Skeete is picky about who he fights for it.

Stuarty30 wrote:That WBO European title helps his ranking and Frank loves them. This fight on Friday doesn't get me remotely excited though. It's great to have a British belt for keeps but I'd like to see him in bigger tests. That's what he needs. He's what nearly 30?

Can't he defend that silly belt at the same time as he defends the British title?

Not sure tbh Horse. You'd think he'd be able to defend both at the same time but I'm not sure of the criteria.

ozzy1875 wrote: Eggington is ahead in terms of belts, but in terms of ability, no chance. I think Skeete would comfortably beat everybody Eggington has beaten since the two met.

Frankie Gavin

leejonesjnr wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote: Eggington is ahead in terms of belts, but in terms of ability, no chance. I think Skeete would comfortably beat everybody Eggington has beaten since the two met.

Frankie Gavin

Gavin seems to be going backward though. I thought his fight with Skeete was close at the time and could've went either way. Was difficult to score but I haven't watched it back. Maybe Skeete could try and avenge the Gavin defeat in a British defence if he's keen on keeping the belt?

Stuarty30 wrote:

leejonesjnr wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote: Eggington is ahead in terms of belts, but in terms of ability, no chance. I think Skeete would comfortably beat everybody Eggington has beaten since the two met.

Frankie Gavin

Gavin seems to be going backward though. I thought his fight with Skeete was close at the time and could've went either way. Was difficult to score but I haven't watched it back. Maybe Skeete could try and avenge the Gavin defeat in a British defence if he's keen on keeping the belt?

Perhaps so but I understand Gavin is moving down

leejonesjnr wrote:Perhaps so but I understand Gavin is moving down

It doesn't seem that way.

Gavin is a mess.

Horse wrote:

leejonesjnr wrote:Perhaps so but I understand Gavin is moving down

It doesn't seem that way.

Gavin is a mess.

Yeah o thought he was moving down for his last fight there and he changed the weight twice and still came in over!

leejonesjnr wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote: Eggington is ahead in terms of belts, but in terms of ability, no chance. I think Skeete would comfortably beat everybody Eggington has beaten since the two met.

Frankie Gavin

Notice I said since the two met, Skeete leathers Gavin all over the place, particularly in his current state.

ozzy1875 wrote:Notice I said since the two met, Skeete leathers Gavin all over the place, particularly in his current state.

He should do it then, instead of fighting the garbage he has been fighting since the Eggington fight.

Horse wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote:Notice I said since the two met, Skeete leathers Gavin all over the place, particularly in his current state.

He should do it then, instead of fighting the garbage he has been fighting since the Eggington fight.

Not interest in seeing the Skeete Gavin rematch. Gavin needs to sort himself out, I know when Skeete boxed Lepelley a couple of British title opponents were suggested and the board knocked them back. He then boxed John Thain and then the Singleton fight has been moved three times.

Expect to see Skeete kick on after tonight.

ozzy1875 wrote:Not interest in seeing the Skeete Gavin rematch. Gavin needs to sort himself out, I know when Skeete boxed Lepelley a couple of British title opponents were suggested and the board knocked them back. He then boxed John Thain and then the Singleton fight has been moved three times.

Gavin is much better than everyone that he has faced since Eggington.

ozzy1875 wrote:Expect to see Skeete kick on after tonight.

I thought Skeete wanted to win the belt outright before moving on.

He needs to fight his mandatory challenger Dale Evans next in order to win the title outright.

That's a slight step in the right direction, but not really kicking on.

Thought the Skeete fight was on BT Sports tomorrow night, had commandeered a mate's house to watch it. Turns out it's not.

Just texted him, he don't have allegedly, so thinking of having him stream it.

Horse wrote:

ozzy1875 wrote:Not interest in seeing the Skeete Gavin rematch. Gavin needs to sort himself out, I know when Skeete boxed Lepelley a couple of British title opponents were suggested and the board knocked them back. He then boxed John Thain and then the Singleton fight has been moved three times.

Gavin is much better than everyone that he has faced since Eggington.

ozzy1875 wrote:Expect to see Skeete kick on after tonight.

I thought Skeete wanted to win the belt outright before moving on.

He needs to fight his mandatory challenger Dale Evans next in order to win the title outright.

That's a slight step in the right direction, but not really kicking on.

Shayne Singleton also mandatory, it's just taken that long to happen they've had time to name another mandatory.

The Evans fight has to happen before end of September. Wonder if Skeete could sneak a third defence on the BJS card should he have an early one tomorrow night.

ozzy1875 wrote:Shayne Singleton also mandatory, it's just taken that long to happen they've had time to name another mandatory.

The Evans fight has to happen before end of September. Wonder if Skeete could sneak a third defence on the BJS card should he have an early one tomorrow night.

Those are some weak mandatories he keeps getting.

The BBBofC needs to sort itself out.

Has it ever seemed more ineffective and incompetent?

All things considered, good on him.
Why worry what other people are doing?
He has his own career to occupy him.
I imagine he has his moments when envious thoughts regarding the European championship cross his mind but on the whole he seems a decent guy and is doing what he can to achieve his own goals.