RISING SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT STAR LERRONE RICHARDS SIGNS WITH QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS
RICHARDS: “I’M EXPLOSIVE, SLICK AND HAVE A BAG OF TRICKS”
Red-hot New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards is delighted to have signed a long-term promotional agreement with Queensberry Promotions. Undefeated Richards, 4-0 1 KO, will make his eagerly-anticipated debut under the Queensberry Promotions banner in a six round contest at the Nordoff Robins Charity Dinner Show on Monday 24th October.
Richards, 24, enjoyed a glittering amateur career, winning the renowned Amateur Boxing Association Golden Gloves Championships at the age of 14 before winning the Golden Belt at the ABA National Novice Championships shortly after.
The 5’11” sharpshooter furthered his craft at the well-respected east London Repton ABC and was hotly-tipped to make the 2012 Ghana Olympic boxing team before narrowly missing out in the quarter-finals qualifying stage.
“I had a lot of energy when I was a kid so I started boxing at the age of six. I started to enjoy it and quickly realised I had a talent for it,” said Richards. “Me and my Dad would watch a lot of boxing together, we enjoyed watching the likes of Pernell Whitaker, Mike McCallum and Naseem Hamed.
“Boxing is all about skill and discipline; it was the perfect tonic for an energetic kid. As an amateur I had 91 fights and lost 9 of those. I was a nine-time National Champion and represented GB and England at international level, as well as Ghana.
“As an international fighter I got to the 2012 Olympic qualifiers. I reached the quarter-finals stage where I lost to the World number three. I was unlucky, I thought I won but it was a close fight. My Olympic dream was over at that point so then I went into the ABA’s and reached the semi-finals; again losing out on a controversial decision.”
Slick southpaw Richards decided to turn professional in 2013 and has made a solid start to life in the paid ranks, winning all four of his fights. Trained by Alan Smith at the iBox Gym in Bromley alongside the likes of British and Commonwealth Welterweight Champion Bradley Skeete, Richards is confident he possesses the tools to take himself to the very top of the fight game.
“I’ve always had a style suited to the paid code. Even when I was an amateur everyone told me that I had a professional style. BoxNation viewers can expect to see an old school boxer. I’m explosive, slick and hold a bag of tricks!
“I’m realistic but I’m very confident in my abilities. If I work hard and push myself I believe I can go all the way; I already have the talent.”
Richards has already sparred with some of the very best fighters on these shores, including WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders and former World title challenger George Groves.
“Sparring guys at that level shows you how far you can go. I was Billy’s only sparring partner during his entire Andy Lee training camp. It was a great experience sparring with Billy, I learnt a lot off him and sparring me was clearly the right decision as he went on to win the World title!”
Now under the guidance of Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, Richards is looking forward to taking his career to the next level.
“They say a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter, but I was dangerous when I was unhappy. Now I’m happy people better watch out!”
