Don Broadhurst
on the comeback trail
Don Broadhurst is a 32 year old boxer from Birmingham, the 5 foot 3 flyweight known as the Don has had an amazing amateur career.
Don has had 100 amateur matches winning 80 of them, he also had 50 international for England. Don boxed out of Erdington, Birmingham Irish and Aston ABC. Don has had an illustrious amateur career becoming school boy national quarterfinalist twice, school boy national semi finalist twice, Nacyo silver medalist, Nacyo champion gold medalist, Junior ABC silver medalist, Senior ABA champion, 4 nations Scotland gold medalist, Commonwealth games Australia gold medalist, 4 nations Wales silver medalist, Liverpool multi nations gold medalist, Strandja cup Bulgaria silver medalist, Gee bee tournament Finland silver medalist, E.U championships Strasbourg bronze medalist, E.U championships Sardinia bronze medalist, Commonwealth federations Malaysia silver medalist, Brandenburg cup Germany bronze medalist, Tammer tournament Finland bronze medalist and Copenhagen box cup bronze medalist. Don also got to the last 16 World championships China and the last 16 in the European championships/Athens Olympic qualifier.
Don informed me the best boxers he has fought as an amateur were Jerome Thomas of France Don said “he was amateur world gold and silver medalist and also Olympic silver and bronze medalist” he then mentioned American Rau'shee Warren amateur world champion, triple Olympian and now WBA world professional champion”.
Don added “ When I boxed for England I was room mates with world champions, the likes of Amir Khan, James Degale and Darren Barker to name a few who I still keep in touch with now”.
Don continued “from the age of 16 to 18 I attended the international boxing academy in Durham where i enrolled in college courses doing my academic studies whilst attending the academy. I felt this was a pivotal time in my career as before then I was a nearly man always quarters and semi finals, at the academy we had 3 international coaches and lots of international boxers and national champions it was like being on an England training squad 5 days a week and that's when I started taking boxing serious, progressing and then I started winning national titles and England vests. In the amateurs I boxed about 20 Olympians or world medalists which was an amazing experience, I also beat two lads who would become British professional champions Matthew Marsh and Martin Gethin but my best win was beating Vincenzo Picardi as the year after he got a bronze medal in the Olympics. My biggest achievement was my commonwealth games gold medal, I beat the home favorite or Australia number 1, a Northern Irishman an Indianan then I stopped a South African in the final on the outclassed rule.
Don professional career is just as good, Don turned pro with Frank Warren and has had 21 fights winning 17 and drawing , he captured the
Commonwealth title after 9 fights and challenged for the British title. He has been a Sky sports prize fighter finalist and has boxed in front of 30,000 people on a Joe Calzaghe v Manfredo under-card.
Don has been the main event on sky sports 3 times, 2 of my 3 losses have come against IBF world champion Lee Haskins.
Don has been boxing for 22 years and now trains at Eastside boxing club. When I asked him
how he got into boxing Don informed me “I started boxing because of the caretaker from my junior school Paul Bond, he asked me to attend Erdington ABC he had saw me scrapping in the play ground”.
I then asked Don who his favorite boxer was? He told me “My favourite boxer is sugar Ray Leonard because he had it all speed, power, ring craft, boxing IQ, charisma and much more”. The best fight Don has seen is Barrera v Morales.
We then got onto the subject of his injury that nearly ended his career, Don told me “My injury was a snapped bicep tendon that I sustained during and English title in the 5th round and was unlucky to get away with a draw, boxing with one hand for another 5 rounds”.
Don then talked about his come back, Don said “I'm buzzing to be boxing again and hope to be involved in some big fights and big shows as that's what motivates me. I'm coming to the latter stage of my career now but there is plenty of life in this old dog provided the opportunities are there”.
Don added “I've had about 120 fights amateur and pro and never been stopped or knocked out, also boxing has changed my life and kept me on the straight and narrow though I feel I have under achieved as a pro. Though different factors boxing has given me an amazing life, I've traveled the world met amazing people made many of my dreams a reality. I'd like to thank fans, friends and family for all the support over the years, my achievements are just as much theirs as they are mine, I'd like to mention I'm an avid Aston villa fan as well being brought up in Erdington.
My goal in boxing now is to win a british title”.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Don is another inspirational boxer from Birmingham who has excelled in the noble art and has achieved amazing heights in his boxing career as an amateur and a pro. Injury seemed to have put a holte to his career but now he is on the come back trail and with a win under his belt he is setting his sights on a British title. Don has got the determination and skills to achieve his goal and was Impressive in his return to the ring a last month. Don will need to move up the ranks quickly to reach his goal but I believe he can do this. The Birmingham Boxing Column looks forward to reporting on Don’s success.