John Joe Carrigan. A young man to watch closely, starting this Saturday.
This teen sensation, from Carlisle and boxing out of Hartlepool, makes his professional debut at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena where he will face Dawid Przybylsky, from Poland, over four rounds.
Described by promoter Frank Warren as a “stellar amateur” and “as the best 18-year-old I’ve ever seen” by coach John Stubbs, Carrigan begins his career with much riding on his young shoulders.
The young Border City ABC genius won multiple national competitions and two European titles before winning the World U19 Championships in America last year, aged 17.
Having amassed every prize as a junior/ youth boxer, you would imagine he would have been a prospect for the 2028 Olympics but has swapped the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and any notions of LA for the Headland ABC gym in Hartlepool.
“Boxing at the Olympics has never really been a dream of mine, I always just wanted to turn over early and progress my career,” the 18-year-old Cumbrian told punch-lines.
“I want to get on the big stage.
“I boxed everywhere for England but turning pro was always my goal as soon as I turned 18.
“I proved I’m the best as an amateur so it’s about trying to prove it now as a pro, isn’t it?”
He would appear to have the incredible talent to justify the confidence of the men guiding his fortunes. Oh, and his manager is Boxing Hall of Fame member, Shelly Finkel.
The veteran American managed the legend that is Mike Tyson, no easy task, and has ran the career of another US heavyweight great Deontay Wilder.
“He watched me at the worlds and went from there,” explained John Joe. “We are the phone all the time – it’s a very odd day if we don’t speak.
“He’s a genuine man. He’ll ring me for a daily talk, and it doesn’t have to be about boxing, he might just call to say ‘how’s your day going?’.”
Carrigan will be boxing under the Queensberry banner and said it was an easy decision.
“It was a dream to sign for Queenberry – they are the biggest and the best,” he said.
“We’re not going to take it too slowly and spend five years boxing journeymen, but I’m not going to be fighting for the world title next year either.
“We’ll take it step by step.”
In his corner will be Stubbs, a Headland ABC and England Boxing coach, who is one half of the Tenacity team alongside Anth Kelly, from Wearmouth ABC. Tenacity boast unbeaten talents Gemma Richardson, Beau Smith and Travis Waters.
Carrigan told punch-lines there was never one thought of seeking out one of the sport’s big or trending trainers.
“I’ve trained with John for a while and used to split my time here at the Headland with my club back home, Border City,” he said.
“I won my first European title with John, and I like the way he trains. Hartlepool was the natural place to be – my grandad lives in Stockton and home is only one hour, 40 minutes away. This is where I want to be.”
The Headland gym can already boast of one global superstar – Savannah Marshall learned to box and honed her skills at the Northgate gym under coach and long-time mentor Tim Coulter before striking gold at the 2012 World Amateur Championships and becoming undisputed World super-middleweight champion.
Click here to watch Queensberry’s video of their new signing.
To continue the Hartlepool link, another of John Joe’s England coaches was Amanda Coulson, the first lady of Hartlepool boxing, who was in his corner when he outpointed Brazil’s Gabriel Dias in the U70 kilos gold medal bout in Colorado last year.
So what of this evening’s opening page of the professional book?
He is matched with Polish 30-year-old Przybylsky, who has a 2-3 record, on the undercard of the European title fight between Nathaniel Collins and Cristobel Lorente.
Przybylsky cannot be taken lightly, given he beat Irish debutant Eoghan Ward last time out. But we all can’t wait to see the debut of Carrigan and it’s almost here.
Words: Roy Kelly
