‘I’ve got the power’, says new pro Carey

Liam Carey outpoints Thomas in his debut. Picture: Manjit Narotra/BCB

LIAM Carey, a sparky by day, knows he has the power to spark out opponents.

Now he’s changing his “box and move” trademark to a more aggressive style in a bid to show the raw power.

“I’ve got the punch,” said the Worcester welter, trained by former world amateur champ Frankie Gavin in Hall Green. “I didn’t always show it, I didn’t always throw it, but it’s there.

“I’ve sparred people and I’ve hurt them. If I can hurt people wearing 16oz gloves, I’ll definitely hurt people wearing 8oz gloves.

“Frankie’s taken me on the pads and said, ‘you’ve got the power, you’ve just got to build that belief in it.”

The BCB fighter’s second pro outing, at Birmingham Conference and Events Centre on March 29, will help bolster that belief.

The 25-year-old’s debut, a landslide four round points win over Luke Thomas last September, was a pleasing, if fairly undemanding, pro boxing baptism.

Carey didn’t fizzle or crackle with electricity, but showed intelligence and moved up a gear with each round.

“You look at all the good points and all the bad points,” he said. “My problem is I never look at the complete picture – I look at the bad things more than the good things, to be honest.

“I did (sold) 50 tickets, which isn’t awful, but it isn’t great. It felt like there was a lot more supporters in there because I had friends fighting on the bill and their fans were cheering for me, too. The noise for my ring walk was crazy.”

Carey, from a white collar background, is an unknown quantity who has entered the game without the burden of expectation. He’s taking it fight by fight and monitoring the improvements made.

“I had 24 white collars, only lost two,” Carey said. “I went in the amateurs, had nine and lost two or three of them.

“So I did have quite a lot of fights and, with white collar being what it is, I boxed some of them on a big platform. I think that really helped in my pro debut.

“I’m taking each fight as it comes, I want to have four this year – I’d like five, but I know that’s pushing it. After that, hopefully someone comes knocking on my door.”

Carey wants to be boxing six rounders by the end of 2026 and believes the long distances will suit him more: “I’m a fit lad, fitness is one of my best attributes. The more the rounds, the more I feel I’m enjoying my work.”

Pro boxing in Worcester is enjoying a resurgence, with Owen Cooper – soon to fight for a British title – the city’s undisputed star.

Carey doesn’t say he’ll reach the same heights as Owen, he doesn’t yet dare to dream that.

But he does dream about being on the same bill in a show staged in the pair’s home city.