By Lee Collier
Liam Cameron, 19, returns to the ring on Sunday in his hometown of Sheffield for his second professional bout. Cameron has had a good year in 2009 starting with winning the Senior ABA welterweight title back in May. Cameron then felt he was being overlooked at national level and decided to take the plunge and try his hand in the paid ranks.
Cameron signed with Dennis Hobson, the man who guided Sheffield’s Clinton Woods all the way to a world title, and won his pro debut in front of his home fans back in October. On that night Cameron out boxed a tough Matt Scriven over six two-minute rounds. Cameron returns to Sheffield on Sunday to face Ryan Clark, 1-2-2, over six two-minute rounds at the Octagon Arena.
Cameron has received rave reviews from his debut, from the likes of Dennis Hobson, Clinton Woods, Tim Witherspoon and his opponent on the night Matt Scriven. Scriven, who has faced the likes of Craig Watson and Olympian Billy Joe Saunders, believes that Cameron has the tools to go all the way which has given the young fighter a massive boost.
“It’s unbelievable to hear that,” Cameron enthused. “It gives you so much confidence to hear something like that. I heard Scriven may have said I was the best he’d boxed whereas some people say he said I was one of the best. For him to say I was one of the best is great when you think he’s boxed Craig Watson recently who was a Commonwealth champion. It’s good for your confidence to hear that.”
Cameron, who trains under Chris Smedley, now splits his training time, spending two days training under former IBF world champion Clinton Woods and Cameron hopes that the Sheffield stars own hardworking ethic and talent helps his own career.
“It’s unbelievable to have Clinton Woods training me,” said an excited Cameron. “When Clinton gets me shadow boxing during the warm up I am asking him all the questions about the world title and British title fights he’s had.”
In his career, Woods showed an outstanding work ethic on his way to the top, and is a man Cameron can look to emulate. “I know you have to stay humble and work hard and everything will come in time. Clinton keeps himself to himself and he achieved everything but never shows off. He won everything there was to win, world, British, Commonwealth and European titles and it’s something to aspire to,” admitted Cameron.
In a move that may have shocked some, Cameron decided to turn pro under Dennis Hobson, a man who did amazing things with Clinton Woods by guiding him to the world title. After only one fight Cameron believes he made the right choice with Hobson, rather than choosing a more high profile promoter.
“Even though I’m with Dennis people still know who I am. I was at a Peter Kay show singing for charity and they shouted me up on stage alongside Clinton. Dennis is promoting me well and everyone who I see he introduces me to and he is selling me well.”
Cameron feels a more one on one approach will benefit him. “Look at someone like Frank Warren who has a high number of fighters. It’s harder to promote all your fighters especially for some of the younger lads. Dennis has a smaller stable so it’s easier for him to promote me and the other lads in the stable,” revealed Cameron.
With such rave reviews Cameron could be in for a big year in 2010. “Anything Dennis says, I am ready for anyone but would love to fight for a minor title like a British Masters.”
Cameron believes that with Hobson and Woods guiding him he can reach the same heights as Woods. “I am going all the way no doubt about it. To be a world champion you have to think like a world champion, train like a world champion, and I’m training alongside one,” stated the confident youngster.
“I have a great team guiding me and the only thing that can fail me is if I don’t put the hard work in the gym. I always train hard every day. It’s getting colder and colder in the mornings at 6am yet I am still putting the miles in.”
Cameron debut came in the light middleweight division but with time to develop the youngster who likens his style to Thomas Hearn’s could move up weight divisions in the future.
“I was light middleweight for my debut but had to put some weight on as Scriven was 9lbs heavier than me. The fight this weekend will be at light middleweight too,” he said.
The confident youngster thinks Sheffield may have another light heavyweight world champion in the future. “I will have to see the course nature takes. Some people think I’ll end up as a super middleweight or possibly a light heavyweight but I am happy to fight at whatever weight I fall into. The way I am growing I think I could end up a light heavy in a few years and Sheffield could have another light heavyweight world champion in the future,” predicted Cameron.
