Tommy Ward’s dreams of world glory are at featherweight not that he will completely rule out another tilt at super-bantam.
Punch-lines revealed in December that the undefeated Dave Garside and Neil Fannan star had opted to move up a division after finding the 8st 10lb mark increasingly difficult to make.
It was a major decision for Team Ward to take given the position he had cemented at the top of the world ratings including the best part of three years in the WBO’s top four and number seven with the IBF.
But rather than fight the scales, he’d sooner channel all his energy into challenging for featherweight success, even if it means having to wait a little longer.
“Being patient has been a major factor in my career, but I’m OK about it. I’m still only young,” said the 26-year-old who spent last week sparring with a leading feather prospect, Michael Conlan.
“Patience has been a virtue, but I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
“Hopefully there’ll be something big this year, but if not I guarantee it’ll happen next year.
“I’m so happy in myself and I’m confident that things are going to go good.
“With super-bantam, I wouldn’t say never, There are some fights at super-bantam I would like, but those fights would have to be made before I’d consider coming down.
“At the minute, featherweight is a little bit more comfortable for me, there’s less stress about making the weight, but if I was going to do super-bantam I’d probably have to bring in a nutritionist which is one thing I’ve never done. Doing the weight is something I’ve just always done with Fanno.
“Featherweight is more comfortable for me, I’ll be naturally bigger and stronger and just better all round because I won’t be taking everything out of myself to make super-banatam.
“I was 8-11 for my last fight against Thomas Essomba and I felt dead!”
Ward, thankfully, is very much alive and kicking having negotiated 22 rounds in the Boxing Booth gym in Surrey with Conlan, a pretty hot talent at featherweight himself.
The Irishman is preparing for an international 10-rounder against Spanish-based Romanian Ionut Baluta in London at the end of April and his coach, Adam Booth, requested the world-rated Ward’s presence in his Surrey HQ.
“They needed good sparring and we delivered,” said the gifted NE Security-sponsored boxer.
“We sparred 10 rounds on the Wednesday, which was good but a bit of fun as well.
“We did our own stuff on Thursday, but sparred again Friday and did 12 rounds which was much more serious.
“Mick is a fiery little character who is getting ready for a big fight in a couple of weeks and it was good work for both of us.
“We’ll go anywhere and spar anyone and well. I was more than happy with how it went last week.”
Tommy is now back in Hartlepool, at Fannan’s gym where he was alongside another Ward. Not elder brother Martin, but cousin Johnny. He’s the latest Ward on the pro scene.
“He’s based in Romford, he’s had two, won two, knocked one out, he’s training under Andy Lee and Roger Lee and he’s doing good,” said a proud Tommy
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
