ALOYS JUNIOR: “I WANTED TO BE DIFFERENT.”
ALOYS JUNIOR’S professional debut was no fairy tale after he took the fight at five hours notice, but don’t bet against his career having a happy ending.
The confidence drenched teenager stepped in at five hours notice in November to face unbeaten Polish Cruiserweight sensation Michal Soczynski and lost by one point.
Junior’s courage won the hearts of BT Sport viewers and Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren who handed him a lucrative five-year deal.
Few young hopefuls would accept such a tough first time assignment, but the Junior told Dev Sahni for Frank Warren’s Queensberry YouTube channel: “I wanted to be different.”
“My coach, my manager and I believe in my ability and I thought, ’why not?’
My manager called me at 3pm (on the day of the fight) after two training sessions. He said, ‘AJ, I have a fight for you. I know it’s a tough guy, but I think you can do it.’
I said, ‘yes’ straight away, but my manager said to call my coach. He was worried but knew I was eager and let me go ahead.
“When I went down after 30 seconds I thought to myself, ‘I should have done football’. They get 40 grand a week and don’t get hit, but I got up, showed who I am and proved my heart.
“Maybe it wasn’t the right time for that fight, but I enjoyed it and don’t regret anything. It was fun from the first round to the fourth. I was there boxing and doing what I do.
“I want to get him again but that will be when the time is right in two or three years. I honestly believe I would beat him tomorrow but my manager knows when it will be right.
“If I had two weeks notice for my debut I would have smoked him.”
Junior, 18, started boxing at the age of seven after watching Mike Tyson on YouTube and being a bit too keen on practising moves from PlayStation game ‘Fight for New York’ in the school playground.
The Penge prospect returns to York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday March 11 for his second professional contest and promises, “Explosiveness and power.”
Junior has an infectious personality, but isn’t a man to mess with. He has already impressed sparring with Queensberry stablemate Daniel Dubois, Joshua Buatsi and Lawrence Okolie.
He added: “To have signed a five year deal with Queensberry shows that Frank Warren believes in my ability. I believe I can go far as well.
“I believe I can be the best in the world within the next few years. I have no doubt I can be World Cruiserweight champion.
“Where does the confidence come from? The training I do, the guys I have been in the ring with and the performances I put in when sparring against some of the best in the world.
The York Hall bill on Friday March 11 is topped by the vacant British Super-Bantamweight title fight between Streatham puncher Chris Bourke (10-0, 6 KOs) and Salford’s slick boxing Marc Leach (17-1, 4 KOs)
Also on the show, Hackney Super-Featherweight Frank ‘The Tank’ Arnold (8-0-1, 2 KOs) will make the leap to ten rounds in a non-title contest.
British boxing’s latest Light-Heavyweight hopeful Karol Itauma (5-0, 3 KOs), an eight-time National amateur champion boxes a six rounder.
In four round action is Conor McGregor’s Super-Lightweight training partner Willo Hayden (2-0), Reading Super-Welterweight Joshua Frankham (4-0,1 KO), Portsmouth Super-Featherweight Jamie Chamberlain (3-0), Welling Super-Welterweight Jake Henty (1-0), and exciting teenage Cruiserweight Aloys Youmbi (0-1).
The quality card also features the debut of another top London Cruiserweight prospect, Arnold Obodai, a former Repton ABC boxer who won two National championships.
