Wilden makes debut, Leo takes a step up

Dan Wilden….one of two Lee Spare boxers on Holiday Inn show

DAN Wilden, part of Lee Spare’s busy Nuneaton gym, takes the plunge into the pro game on Saturday night.

The super-feather will take his bow at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, with Lancashire’s Liam Fitzmaurice in the opposite corner.

It’s a sensible opener for 28-year-old Wilden, something of a mystery man whose amateur career was studded by long periods of inactivity. It’s been just under two years since his last amateur bout.

Fitzmaurice has lost all four of his paid fights, but pushed Birmingham’s Nico Ogbeide – soon to fight for the Midlands title – to a points decision.

On his big night, Dan will be spurred on by the memory of his dad Marc “Wilf” Wilden who took his own life.

Marc was a big part of Nuneaton’s Boxing Clever Academy, where Dan spent his amateur career and is now based as a pro. Marc’s tattoo business was one of the gym’s main sponsors.

Dan’s certainly packed a lot into his young life, joining the army at 16, then, in Civvy Street, travelling the globe as a personal trainer. He’s worked in Thailand, Dubai and Ibiza.

He’s also popular and well over 100 tickets have already been sold for Saturday night. We’re only days away from discovering what Wilden brings to the table.

Trainer Lee Spare admits it’s taken time and some effort to adjust Dan’s style to the punch-for-pay business.

“He had a few problems settling in the pro ranks,” Lee admitted. “He needed to settle his feet more. But the last couple of spars with Nico Ogbeide, he done really well. There’s been a few niggles along the way, but I think everything will go well for him on Saturday.

“Dan hasn’t boxed for about one-and-a-half years, pushing two, but he’s a very active lad. He’s a PTI (Personal Training Instructor) with an army background. He’s well travelled and wherever he’s been he’s made friends, trained, worked and learned.

“Now he’s decided to put roots down and give the pro scene a good go.”

Spare was to have three of his lads on the Holiday Inn bill. That’s down to two after Nepal born Minaaz Gurung, aggressive and colourful, was forced out by injury. It’s a serious injury at that, with the super-lightweight suffering a ruptured achilles that will sideline the 23-year-old for weeks.

Leo Fanthome…takes step-up. Picture: Campfire Stories Productions

Leo Fanthome, Spare’s Redditch welter, may provide the night’s real fireworks. The 26-year-old of Venezuelan heritage takes something of a step-up against Dan “The Monk” Booth, experienced and tough as boot leather.

“It’s the step-up he needs,” Spare said, “he needs the test. He’s a really good, disciplined lad – he’s carried that through from the amateurs. He had a very good coach (in the amateurs) who gave him that discipline and it’s great for a coach to work with someone with that ethos.”

After suffering a stoppage loss to a journeyman in his second pro outing, 26-year-old Leo has dusted himself off, learned from the mistakes and rebounded. Now 3-1, Fanthome registered his first inside distance win last time out.

Spare, who wasn’t training Fanthome when he suffered that sole defeat, said: “He just got stuck on his feet – we’ve got him mobile and moving. When he got stopped, that should not have happened.

“Leo’s a bit deceiving. When he came to us, I didn’t see the power. I spoke to his amateur trainer and she said he could whack. The lads in our gym say Leo hurts when he hits you. When you take him on the pads and he plants his feet, you can feel the power.

“When he settles his feet and there’s more punch output, you’ll see him stop more people.”