Fight Academy’s Levi Giles has returned to winning ways!

  Fight Academy’s Levi Giles has returned to winning ways and is back on the chase for titles after his controversial loss earlier this year to Michael Gomez Jr. Giles and Gomez Jr clashed for the English Super Featherweight Title in March at the Manchester Arena, with the Mancunian edging out Levi by a contentious split-decision verdict … despite many at ringside and on social media believing the wrong fighter had his glove raised. Despite that setback – the only blemish on his 14-1 (4) ledger – the 27-year-old was ‘straight back on the horse’ at his hometown’s Grimsby Auditorium on June 17^th in a decent test against experienced Russian, Ruslan Berchuk. In front of a full house and a rapturous reception, Giles was almost punch-perfect as he put in a mature performance to dismantle his East European opponent, becoming only the sixth man to stop Berchuk in 33 contests. With that win behind him – on a show that will be broadcast by Fightzone on July 14^th – Levi looks back over the last year, and talks about his ambitions for the future. It’s been a few months since your split-decision loss against Michael Gomez Jr.  It was a close fight, with many people feeling you’d done enough to win.  What are your thoughts now on the fight?  And the decision? My thoughts on the Gomez fight are the same now as they were when the decision was made. I stuck to a game plan that my team had and thought we won the fight by one or two rounds.  Personally, I’ve never had to really speak on the fight as everyone else that watched it did that for me! Is Gomez Jr someone you’d like to face again, at some point? I would love the rematch; the outcome would be a lot different this time I can assure you of that! Since that defeat, you’ve returned with a KO victory over Ruslan Berchuk in June – how pleased were you with your performance?  And to get back to winning ways? My performance?  I’m my own worst critic, but the homecoming show was absolutely brilliant with over 1000 people in the auditorium that night.  And no super featherweight has stopped the Russian opponent like I did.  So, overall, I’m happy to be back to winning ways and in title races again. What age did you start boxing? I started boxing at Grimsby ABC – where I still train now and had all my amateur fights with – when I was nine … 18 years ago!   What success did you have as an amateur? I won a senior title belt, had 54 fights against some top-class kids.  My record was 50/50 with a lot of split decisions but that’s the way it goes.  It was all great experience for when I turned over.   Favourite all-time fighter? Sugar Ray Robinson … the best ever! What are your strengths and weaknesses as a boxer? My strengths are my timing and speed.  My weaknesses are for my opponent to find out!   What’s the hardest thing about being a pro fighter (so far)? I would say the hardest part is working a full time day job alongside running a house, family and a child at the same time.  But when you want something as bad as I do, it’s the sacrifice you make to become the best version of myself.   What weight do you see yourself winning belts at? Super featherweight is my strongest weight – I will win titles at that weight.   Which current British fighters are impressing you the most? There are plenty of great British fighters at the moment.  The ones that stand out most to me come from the same gym – Dalton Smith is the hottest prospect in Britain in my opinion, and Sunny Edwards makes it look easy when he’s in the ring doing his thing.   Name one UK fighter you would like to face in 2023/24? One UK fighter I would like to face in 23/24 is probably the likes of [Qais] Ashfaq, [Liam] Dillon, or Reece Bellotti, who are all in British Title race.   Obviously, I’d like the Gomez rematch the most but that’s not looking likely on their behalf.   Your favourite meal? A good mixed grill … every time!   Favourite film? This is a tough one, but ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ is up there with one of my best.   Favourite city? It’s not a city but the best place on earth is the place I come from … Grimsby!   Your job outside of boxing (if you have one)? I went from the scaffolding trade to now working with a good sponsor of mine, EC Surfacing, so we do all ground works.   Your boxing ambitions? What do you want to achieve in the sport? Titles … nothing less.   Who is your biggest inspiration? My biggest inspiration in boxing is probably the likes of Ricky Hatton who I used to watch a lot growing up.   Tell us an unusual fact about yourself? An unusual fact about myself is that my first name is actually hyphenated … it’s Levi-Jordan.  Not many people know that!   Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? At the top of the game, ether looking at retiring or only in huge fights.