Sky’s the limit, vows welter hope Willetts

Brad Willetts…returns after a year’s absence from ring on Friday night

ON Friday night, Brad Willetts, a prospect who came from the blindside, finally shakes of the frustration of 12 months without ring action.

Following a break forced on him by niggling injuries, the welter returns in his first six rounder on Scott Murray’s show at the Sports Connexion leisure centre, Coventry.

Brad faces Kent’s Ricky Leach, an 88 bout veteran who has lost a lot more than he’s won, but seldom fails to hear the final bell. It looks a sensible return to arms for Dudley’s Willetts, a fighter with a considerable following. “I’ve done very well (with tickets) for this one,” the 26-year-old said. “That’s nothing to do with me, that’s down to them – the people who follow me. I’ve got the best supporters and friends and family in the world.”

Essentially from a senior white collar background, Willetts, trained by dad Steve and Les Sharratt at Cradley Heath’s Golden Gloves gym, has looked impressive in his four bouts to date. He’s yet to register a stoppage, but hit with real spite in his last outing, a victory over Paul Scaife. The lad’s improving with each outing: it’s just a shame he was forced to take a break when building a real fire under his fledgling career.

“I need one to get the cobwebs off,” Brad said. “You can spar all the rounds in the gym, but they’re not the same as an actual fight. It’s my first six rounder, I know I may have to pace myself a little bit.

“If the knockout’s there, I will always go for it, but I won’t go looking for it because then it doesn’t come. That something we’ve been working on because people want to see knockouts.”

Once Willetts has featured in a six rounder, he’s eligible for the championship distance. As it is, he can’t be too far away from being in the mix for Midlands belts. “I can make super-lightweight,” he insisted. “Last couple of fights I’ve only weighed 10st 3lbs – 10st 4lbs.

“I’d like to try to step up to 10 rounds early next year. Arena shows – that’s the dream, that’s what we all want – earn the money and get on the big shows. I think my chance will come and, when it does, I’ll grab it with both hands.”

To those loyal fans, Willetts has a message: you ain’t seen nothing yet.

“I’m improving every session in the gym,” he added, “I think I’m improving every fight. As far as how far I can go, the sky’s the limit.”