Janine GriffithsLeeds bare knuckle fighter Nathan Conroy is contemplating a trip to America having been called out by veteran Arizona-based fighter Nicholas ‘Cub’ Hawkins, who is currently ranked third in the world at welterweight. This follows Conroy’s second first round knockout win as boxing at 79kg he defeated Liam Teruel on the latter’s home turf at Tyneside’s Utilita Arena.
“I’m proud of the exciting start I’ve made as a bare-knuckle fighter,” he said, adding: “I knocked out Nottinghamshire’s Zack Hurt in my debut bout at Manchester Arena last May and did the same against Liam at another major venue. I got caught a couple of times. There’re things to work on but I’ve every confidence in my coaches Johnny Graham and Joe McLoughlin at ‘A’ Side in Normanton. Johnny and I are both Leeds lads. He’s from Hunslet and I live in Seacroft where I grew up.”
A father of two young children who attended Mount St. Mary’s School and then built up his own tiling and building company, Conroy said he would “love to bring bare knuckle boxing to Leeds. There have been events at Elland Road but not too recently. I’d played rugby as a teenager in Castleford and Wakefield and then did a white-collar charity boxing fight where I got my first knockout win. I went on to win ten of my twelve boxing bouts and started bare knuckle with Johnny and Joe as I fancied a new challenge. I’m learning how vital it is to pick shots carefully to protect my hands. The sky’s the limit now. America here we come.”
“I appreciate the generosity of my sponsors Rivers of Gold, The Ink Crafter, Diamond Scaffolding and Hiveworks Building Solutions. Other potential sponsors can contact me at Nathanconroy.enquiries@outlook.com .”
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