Sheffield boxer's extra punching power

Sam and Joe Sheedy at the Sheffield Boxing Club with Glyn Rhodes, Sheffield. Photo by Glenn Ashley.

The Sheffield Boxing Centre southpaw has campaigned at light middleweight in a successful career which has far so far seen him win 16 of his 17 fights.

Now he has his eyes on prizes at 11 stone 6 pounds, a division with spectacular local talent including Lewis Taylor and Adam Etches.

Sheedy will be fighting in a Commonwealth title eliminator on April 3 at the Magna Centre, Rotherham against Belfast’s Alfredo Meli on a Dennis and AJ Hobson bill.

Taylor is tomorrow competing in Liverpool for the Commonwealth strap - so Sheedy is hopeful a derby match-up can become a reality.

The 27-year-old Wisewood fighter is optimistic about his plans: “I think middleweight will be a lot more comfortable for me.

“People might think I’m lazy for not staying at 11 stone but I know for a fact that I will have much more punching power from now on. I am doing this because I want more snap and tenacity and that will mean knocking people spark out.

“I have always had power but I will have more available to me now and I intend to clean up the division. Lewis Taylor would be great, while Adam Etches, like me, sells lots of tickets.

“There are a lot of good fighters locally at middleweight so it will be interesting, I will box any of them - I just want the big fights.”

Sheedy has an awkward style he describes as “tricky and slippery” and believes he can be a bigger menace at the heavier weight.

“Glyn Rhodes (trainer) has been on at me for a while to make the move, he knows I can keep my speed at the new weight. The British Board of Control has told us my next fight will be a Commonwealth eliminator and I can’t wait to get on with it.”

Sheedy has been training hard, and included in his routine has been the odd sparring session with his 21-year-old brother Joseph.

“He is doing well, he started less than a year ago and we’ll be getting him some amateur fights. But he wants to turn professional eventually and I am sure he will do.”

The April 2 show will include the Muheeb Fazeldin v Klaas Mboyane battle for the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title.

And Liam Cameron will face off against Jahmaine Smyle for the English super middleweight belt.

Meanwhile Shiregreen’s Dave Fidler has postponed retirement plans and is planning to defend his Central Area super welterweight title, in Blackpool on April 9. The Glyn Rhodes-trained 37-year-old southpaw will face Lancastrian RP Davies.