By Lee Collier
Oldham’s hotshot Ronnie Heffron made an impressive start to his professional career when he forced Chris Brophy to retire at the end of the second or four rounds last month. What made the performance more impressive was the pressure of being on a major fight card like Amir Khan vs. Dmitriy Salita.
Heffron, 19, who was signed by Frank Warren, trains under the tutelage of Anthony Farnell in Manchester and the performance of young Heffron impressed his mentor. “Ronnie was a bit too eager sometimes and was caught with a few shots,” stated Farnell. “The shots were nothing major, it was just his eagerness to please everyone with it being his debut on a massive bill. Other than that it went perfectly.”
Heffron, who won the 2009 ABA light-welterweight title, has joined a Farnell stable that also includes former amateur hotshot and world amateur champion Frankie ‘Funtime’ Gavin and trainer Farnell believes that this will help the young fighter progress.
“Ronnie is training and sparring with Frankie Gavin all the time so Ronnie is picking things up quickly and learning all the time. For a youngster you can’t get much better sparring than a former world amateur champion and he is really enjoying what he is doing,” revealed ‘Arnie’.
Heffron has been tipped for the top, which is something that Farnell agrees with. “Ronnie is a wicked talent and will be something really big in boxing just as long as he keeps his feet on the floor which I am sure he will,” he said.
“Ronnie is an exciting fighter to watch. It reminds me of when Ricky Hatton turned pro, you knew he was going to the top and he was great fighter to watch and Ronnie Heffron is the exactly the same.”
