On the 4th of April 2015, Luke Blackledge achieved a dream when he captured the Commonwealth super-middleweight championship on residence turf in Blackburn. He added that belt to a WBC rating title accrued the yr prior as his home rating continued to climb. At the moment, solely Erik Skoglund (whose solely ever loss was to Callum Smith) and Rocky Fielding (future WBA world titleholder) had defeated Blackledge.
Quick-forward eight years and the person from Darwen is metaphorically and bodily, on the highway, so far as his boxing profession is worried. Simply a few days earlier than our interview, Blackledge had misplaced on factors to Francis Kershaw, a 3-0 prospect.
“I’m simply preventing on the highway for a number of quid now,” he advised me over the cellphone. “I nonetheless f*cking adore it. I’d combat each week if I weren’t a fats child (laughs). If I might make the burden, I’d combat each week.”
“I nonetheless love coaching and being within the health club with the lads,” the 33-year-old defined.
4 rounds later, Kershaw now has the title of a former champion on his resume.
“You might see how blissful he was. He simply beat the ex-Commonwealth champion. That combat and the way a lot he’ll be taught beating me, he most likely received’t get that have in his subsequent ten fights.”
The one draw back was the very fact he obtained a lower, that means he now can not compete for 4 weeks.
While some away nook fighters are blissful to maneuver across the ring, keep out of bother and decide up their money, Darwen’s most interesting is blissful to upset the applecart and provides it his all.
Final yr he travelled to Bolton and snapped the three-fight win streak of Wycombe King. Propects beware – he’s not coming to simply accept defeat simply.
“These journeymen that simply go on the back-foot and simply field round; they’ve not a lot combat in them, have they?”
“I’ll train them a trick or two.”
He’s now giving again to a sport that gave him some wonderful nights. Contemplating his lack of novice background and upbringing solely on the unlicensed scene, he achieved far past expectation. With veteran boxing supervisor and promoter, Steve Wooden backing him, Blackledge was in a position to outpoint Liam Cameron earlier than efficiently defending his Commonwealth title twice – he felt invincible.
“I believed it have been by no means going to finish. Earlier than that, I used to be dwelling and sleeping it (boxing). I used to be hungry. Cash didn’t imply something then. It was extra (about) successful the titles.”
The possibility to combat for the Commonwealth gold concerned his group paying a promoter in Africa round £4,000 for his or her man to vacate the title.
“We needed to do a cope with the promoter to vacate, after which we fought for the vacated Commonwealth title,” he revealed. “That’s after I fought Liam Cameron. He was a high ten rated fighter; an ABA champion. It was a tough combat.”
“If I wasn’t on my A sport, I’d have gotten crammed in.”
Cameron was the favorite that night time however Blackledge emerged victorious. On a facet observe, Cameron confirmed his class, regardless of the defeat, and dropped to middleweight to win Commonwealth gold at that weight.
As reigning champion, Blackledge subsequently took his eye off the ball, and only a small incremental drop in depth price him.
“I used to be so disciplined till I really bought there,” he stated. “After I received the Commonwealth and fought for the British (versus Callum Smith), after I bought up there I began stepping off the gasoline, partying and going out. I felt like I’d made it. It’s laborious to get there and for those who don’t keep on the ball, it’s really easy to slide down.”
Shedding to Callum Smith in 2016 signalled a downturn. Smith was No.1 for the WBC 168-pound world title and was speculated to combat Anthony Dirrell – as a substitute, Blackledge stepped in and fought in opposition to Smith for his British title. He was stopped within the tenth.
Nonetheless vastly revered, Blackledge took to the highway and continues to present himself to the game, simply not as a lot of himself as he did at his peak.
“I simply haven’t bought the dedication, you already know. I’ve not bought what I used to have the place I lived and slept it.”
With no regrets, he’ll soldier on, giving in-ring instructional classes to younger professionals up and down the nation. This, with immense proudness at what he achieved – with no novice expertise.
“I’ve had a proper good profession,” he mirrored. “I’ve been to Germany and Denmark, sparring Arthur Abraham, Martin Murray, Carl Froch, Tony Bellew and Billy Joe Saunders.”
Sparring 80-90 rounds with Carl Froch and 100 with former WBA titlist Tyron Zeuge, Blackledge has been there and executed it. Of all the previous champions he’s been in with, he revealed Billy Joe Saunders to be the easiest he’s ever shared a hoop with.
Now, with Geordie Paul, Matt Bolton, Kevin Maree and AJ Woods backing him, the previous champion will field on in away corners up and down the nation.
