New pro Carey: I’m sparking by day and I’m sparking by night

Liam Carey and Frankie Gavin…expect the unexpected

“SPARKING by day, sparking by night,” new pro Liam Carey laughed. He’s an electrician by trade.

He’s also something of an unknown commodity. Liam enjoyed a long white collar career, but took part in only eight amateur bouts, winning five.

And they were squeezed into a hectic four month period – to conform with Board of Control rules preventing fighters from jumping straight from white collar into the pro ranks.

On September 19, at the Hangar, Wolverhampton, the secret is out when welterweight Liam makes his debut on a show staged by BCB, the promotional outfit he’s signed for.

The 24-year-old, raised in Bromsgrove, now living in Worcester, said: “I enjoy the sport, I love everything about the sport. I don’t do it for the fame or money, I do it because I love the sport.”

He’s in good hands, with former world amateur champ Frankie Gavin chief trainer. Liam splits his time between Hall Green gym and BCB’s Wednesbury base.

“When it comes to experience, there aren’t many who can top Frankie’s experience,” Liam said. “Me and Frankie get on really well, he’s not just a coach but a good friend. He’s very honest – I’ve haven’t got the skill he had, but he says I’m more committed than he was.”

Frankie, who was also a British pro champ, wasn’t known for his commitment.

Liam believes “flying under the radar” to professional boxing may prove a benefit. He’ll take opponents by surprise.

“My record doesn’t mean I haven’t had experience,” he insisted. “I’ve sparred with good amateurs and good pros. I think I’ll be overlooked a little bit.

“I’ve sparred Elliot Whale, Ryan Kelly, Owen Cooper…I don’t have the knowledge they have, but it’s about gaining knowledge from them. I’d love to get a Midlands title, but I’ll be taking it fight by fight and trusting my coaches. If they say I’m ready for something, I’ll do it.”

So what can fans at the Hangar expect from this newcomer? In a nutshell, the unexpected.

“I’m a little less orthodox,” Liam said. “I like to move, I’m constantly moving, twitching, then firing and that makes it harder to read me.

“I’m strong – it’s getting the confidence to throw those power shots. I know I’m strong, it’s just getting that bit more experience.”

Liam is honest to admit there are butterflies as his big night approaches.

“I wasn’t nervous at all until I saw the first posters,” he added with a grin, “then I’m thinking, ‘this is real now’.

“I’m not a huge ticket-seller, but, hopefully, when I show what I can produce, people will buy more tickets.”

Honest and grounded, the boxing electrician aims to generate his own volts of excitement on September 19.