‘Wilden ticked all the boxes’ - trainer Lee

Dan Wilden…successful debut at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport

DAN Wilden, the boxer with a back story that embraces tragedy and travel, has cleared his first professional hurdle.

At the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, on Saturday, the Nuneaton lightweight announced his arrival on the pro circuit with a decisive points victory.

Over the four round apprentice distance, Wilden outpointed Liam Fitzmaurice 40-37, meaning the Lancashire man shared a session. That was Fitzmaurice’s fifth loss on the spin.

Stepping through the ropes was an achievement in itself for 28-year-old Wilden.

Dan returned to the game following the devastating loss of his father Marc, who took his own life. Marc was a big part of Nuneaton’s Boxing Clever Academy, where Dan spent his amateur career. Marc’s tattoo business was one of the gym’s main sponsors and he yearned for his son to join the pros.

Saturday was Dan’s first fight in close to two years.

The paid ranks have gained a colourful, popular character. Dan sold around 100 tickets for his first bout.

He joined the army at 16, then, in Civvy Street, travelling the globe as a personal trainer. He’s worked in Thailand, Dubai and Ibiza.

Of his debut, trainer Lee Spare said: “I thought he ticked all the boxes.

“Dan’s only small, but athletic and agile. I told him, ‘relax and use your agility and reflexes’ and because of that he was able to pick his shots.

“When he threw combinations, he connected.

“He did really well. He hadn’t boxed for two years because he’s been travelling and doing different things.

“His dad died and his dad was his biggest fan. He’s also suffered a shoulder injury – to perform the way he did was really good, he did so well. I’m proud of him.

“He got caught a couple of times by silly shots, but he was picking his own shots, looking for openings, creating openings. I thought it was great.”

It is way too early to predict what the future holds for Wilden in the ring and both he and Spare are taking things fight by fight.

“He’s got to have a bit of physio on the shoulder,” Spare said, “then it’s about getting him fights and experience.

“In a way, the break from the sport may have helped him. If he’d kept boxing as an amateur, he would have kept that amateur style of boxing at range. This way he’s gone straight into the pro way of doing things.”

Spare added: “He’s a likeable, respectful, clean-living lad. He ticked all the boxes for me, all the basic fundamentals were in place.”

Wilden weighed 9st 9lbs for this one, but Spare stressed his future lies at super-feather, maybe even feather.