By Lee Collier
Liverpool’s cruiserweight Mike Stafford took a different route than most other British fighters in the early part of his professional career. Instead of signing with a UK promoter, the fighter chanced his arm by moving out to Florida and starting out in America, with his first two fights coming on Kendall Holt undercards.
Stafford, now 28, was twice a senior ABA runner up and represented his country numerous times, which is how his American journey came about. Stafford explained it for us.
“I was boxing for Kirkby ABA and was representing England against America, one of the US coaches liked what he saw so we exchanged e-mails. I kept in contact with Gus Curran from the House of Champions gym in Florida and I went over there on holiday and did some training,” revealed Stafford.
He added: “The gym has ties with Lou Duva, so Lou liked what he saw and signed me so I stayed out and trained with Duva fighters, guys like Mike Marrone, Kendall Holt and James McGirt. I had my first turned pro fight in November 2006 fighting in Atlantic City, and then in April I boxed a kid who was a good amateur and was unbeaten as professional and beat him on points.”
Stafford returned to England to continue his boxing education in his own country, training under Robbie Butler before recently switching to Manchester’s Bobby Rimmer. Stafford has already likened the atmosphere at Rimmer’s gym to the one he experienced in the States.
“I had signed with Steve [Wood] and he recommended that I come to Bobby Rimmer. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, I feel like I’m at home and all the lads are a good bunch,” stated Stafford.
“It was similar to when I was in Vero Beach, we had 9 or 10 professional fighters in the gym at any one time, guys like Sherman Williams the Caribbean heavyweight champion, Prince Badi Ajamu and Stevie Johnston and it was just a big family just like it is at Bobby’s gym.”
Stafford’s career looked to be in jeopardy when he suffered a serious leg break playing football. The injury kept Stafford away from the ring for over a year but Stafford always had every intention of returning to boxing.
“I broke my fibula and a spiral fracture of the tibia, I had 12 screws on the tibia and 4 on the fibula playing football,” explained Stafford. “I am lucky I have always been an active person, I have never been a drinker and I have always eaten healthily so I think that helped me comeback a lot quicker.
“I was ruled out for two years but was back to jogging just six months later. I am still seeing a physio but it is getting better all the time and by next year it will be perfect as at the moment as I still suffer from some stiffness in the leg.”
Whilst Rimmer has not had too long to work with Stafford, some big changes are afoot including a change in weight class. “I have no problems at cruiserweight but Bobby has looked at my body mass and we discussed it and have made the decision to drop to light heavyweight,” revealed Stafford.
He continued: “I prefer to fight bigger guys but the advantage I will have when I drop to light heavyweight is that my punching power will be more effective as I will be fighting guys dieting to make weight or super middleweights stepping up. At the moment I am fighting heavyweights who make cruiser so whilst I hurt them I don’t always stop them. I am just going to work hard, listen to Bobby and diet correctly and the aim is to become the number one fighter at light heavyweight.”
Stafford has recently boxed off the back foot, but under Rimmer the intention is to return to the style of fighting from his American fights. “Bobby is getting me throwing more jabs, he is training me like I did in the States, working on the inside, like Ricky Hatton did, which is the way I prefer to fight,” he admitted.
“I can box on the back foot if necessary but I would prefer to box aggressively. Under Robbie I was boxing on the back foot trying to nick fights whereas now I will be more entertaining.”
Without the year away from boxing, Stafford may have been six fights further in his career and looking at a minor title. With the change in trainer and weight class Stafford still feels this is within his grasp in the next 18 months.
“The plan is to concentrate on Sunday’s fight, and then I will sit down and talk to Bobby and Steve. I need to move up to six rounds and my next fight I will fight at a lighter weight than I am this weekend. The fight after that I will look at fighting at under 13 stone then the move to 168lbs is easy to make,” he declared.
“My natural weight is light heavyweight, I will feel sharper, faster and will punch harder. I will be fitter without all the weight so in 18 months’ time I hope to maybe emulate someone like Carl Dilks and maybe get a Commonwealth or a British title fight.”
Stafford (6-0, 1 early) will face Sheffield’s Billy Boyle (12-4, 7 early) on Sunday in a six round bout on VIP Promotions Jolly Boys Outing at the De Vere Hotel in Bolton.