I am one fight away from big time - Berry

Nyall Berry…the to bantams beckon. Picture: Boxxer/Lawrence Lustig

A NEW year, a new weight for Nyall Berry.

2025 saw him banging on the door for big things. If everything goes to plan, the Chelmsley Wood banger should break it down in 2026.

Berry, with only one loss in 17, begins his campaign at eight-and-a-half stone on February 7 on Scott Murray’s major Cannock Chase Leisure Centre show.

It’s hoped to land a British bantamweight title eliminator for the explosive 26-year-old. If not, he’ll face an opponent good enough to make a win send shockwaves through the division.

“I’m 100 per cent fighting as a bantam for that show, then coming for the British title,” Berry said. “One fight away, that’s how I see it.”

The Lonsdale Belt and Commonwealth title is currently in the possession of Liverpool’s Andrew Cain.

Berry and his team at Eastside gym can look back with satisfaction on a year that has seen steady progress. The prospect won all four bouts and took the English super-bantam title with an impressive three round blast-out.

That away-from-home victory over dangerous Lewis Frimpong earned Berry a high domestic ranking, yet he’s decided to pursue new challenges at a lower weight rather than build at super-bantam. That makes the move a calculated gamble.

Losing the pounds is not an issue, he insists. “It’s the nature of the sport. You use your advantages. Why fight at a weight (super-bantam) where people have more physical advantages? On February 7, they’ll see something different – I’ll be faster, sharper, stronger.

Berry has already discovered how bitter the lows in boxing can be. Tipped for very big things, he was pitted against top Italian Francesco De Rosa in 2024 for a version of the European title. He threw caution to the wind, neglected defence in an attempt to steamroller De Rose and paid the price.

Berry took that eighth round loss very badly. “It hurt me a lot,” he admitted, “but you have to let it go. It shaped me into what I am now. It taught me a lot, it taught me about priorities, what I need to focus on.”

Importantly, he re-built and emerged a more mature boxer. Older and wiser, Nyall has realised not all opponents are going to be bowled over and a “Plan B” is required.

“2025 has certainly been a learning year,” he said. “I’ve learned peace and God are all you need – when you realise that, everything else falls into place.

“Mentally and business-wise, the pro game is a lot harder than I could ever have imagined. But God saves his hardest battles for his strongest soldiers. I’ll prevail in the end.”