BOXING: The British title is my destiny: Sam Sheedy

Sam Sheedy believes fate has taken a hand in guiding him to a British title on Saturday.
Sheffield boxer Sam Sheedy, confident ahead of his British title fightSheffield boxer Sam Sheedy, confident ahead of his British title fight
Sheffield boxer Sam Sheedy, confident ahead of his British title fight

The Sheffield southpaw takes on Tommy Langford, hoping to land the Lonsdale Belt, after moving up from light middleweight to 160lbs.

And Sheedy thinks the opportunity was partly due to the single loss on his record, to Nav Mansouri, in July 2015, a split decision defeat.

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“I strongly believe in fate and when I lost to Nav I decided to move up and fight at the weight which really suits me, middleweight. I think I was chosen to fight him for this title (after Chris Eubank Jr had pulled out) because they felt I was an easier option for Tom. How wrong they are going to be! Everything is leading up to a win for me in this fight.

“It feels like the path has all been laid out for me.”

Sheedy won his last fight, against the durable Andrew Robinson, on a split decision - so in two of his last three fights, judges have been at variance over who won.

But the fighter, who has never boxed over 12 rounds, expects to get through the championship rounds comfortably if he has not stopped Langford before then. “I will get a clear cut decision or a stoppage, a win one way or another.”

Langford has a 17-fight 100% winning record, but Sheedy believes his reputation will count for little.

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“Tom looks a limited boxer, manufactured by his promoters. He is fit and strong, but that’s all.

“Andrew Robinson said Langford was a better boxer than me but I was a bigger puncher. And Andrew is tipping me to win. I don’t think Tom will have as strong a chin as Andrew; I can see me catching him and getting a mid-fight stoppage.

“Andrew had a chin of granite. I hit him with one punch that I got just right - I felt it on my knuckles and I still have no idea how he survived it. Tom would struggle with that power, he has a suspect chin.

“His brother has one too - maybe it runs in the family!”

Sheedy accepts that his well-supported opponent is better known than himself, across the nation. “I’ve been off the radar, other than with my own fans, and he has had more exposure. But a win for me will change that. Tom has a 35% KO rate but I have more power after moving up from light middleweight.

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“To be honest, I have changed. I used to be more interested in not getting hit than anything, but now I don’t mind taking one if I can get three in on my opponent then I will do what I have to, to win.”