Enjoying a bit of a new lease of life.
That is Calum French who is just days away from making his third professional appearance.
The 26-year-old will face Spanish southpaw Gadatamen Taylor on Matchroom’s Cardiff event live on DAZN this Saturday evening when Welsh star Joe Cordina will challenge for the IBF world super-featherweight title against Kenichi Ogawa.
While Cordina is seeking global glory five years after leaving the amateur ranks behind, ‘Frenchy’ is thrilled with the challenge he took up in September 2021.
GB Boxing had hoped that the Birtley ABC talent would be one of their leading stars going to the 2024 Olympics, especially after striking gold at the Algirdas Socikas tournament this time last year in Lithuania.
But the Gateshead southpaw opted to go in a different direction and instead signed for Eddie Hearn.
“I’m loving it,” Calum told punch-lines. “I am enjoying a bit of a new lease of life.
“I felt so close yet so far when I was with GB, I was number one at 60 kilos from 2016 to 2019 and then my weight division got taken out.
“It was one of them of ‘do I stay?’ but I didn’t want to stand on ceremony any longer.
“I was starting to feel a bit stale down at GB and I needed to make something happen in my career and this is it.
“I’ve taken a great leap out of the comfort zone – I knew there’d be no wage coming in every month, no physios, no strength and conditioning and all the stuff I had at Sheffield.
“I knew it was time to make my own way.”
That all began by reuniting with his old Birtley trainer, Graeme Rutherford, the man who guided his fortunes so well before his move to the English Institute of Sport.
And Rutherford has guided him to two very different wins in his first professional steps.
French had as testing a debut as a boxer could get when he was matched over six rounds with Rustem Fatkhullin in Liverpool last December.
The former European Championship bronze medallist did not drop a session but he was made to work for his points win by the rugged Russian.
An easier evening followed in March in Leeds where Belgium’s Angelo Turco was brushed aside inside three rounds.
“Fatkhullin was a very durable Russian, a tough bloke who isn’t stopped too often,” said Calum. “Turco wasn’t as durable and I blasted him out pretty easily.
“I’m looking forward to the next one but I’ve a new opponent after my original fight fell through.”
His appearance at the Motorpoint Arena will be an all-southpaw scrap.
If Taylor does not sound the most Spanish of names, it isn’t.
The 32-year-old is originally from Liberia in West Africa but is now based in Majorca, where his record is four wins and a draw from 14 bouts with back-to-back victories over new professionals.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom Boxing
