Cornwall’s Brad Pauls was deemed merely a plucky challenger first time around six months earlier when the Birmingham bill was announced as Nathan Heaney’s first British middleweight title defence. English champion at the time but having fallen short against Tyler Denny on a big TV spot with Sky Sports a year prior, history would likely repeat itself. Brad refused to let that happen.
Pauls overwhelms Heaney, third new champ in eight months
RESORTS WORLD ARENA, BIRMINGHAM — There’s nothing quite like the unbridled joy of watching your gymmate and close friend finally achieve his dream. That’s how Linus Udofia would’ve been feeling on Saturday night, into the early hours, watching his agemate and fellow middleweight boxer Brad Pauls clinch British honours.
The icing on the cake? Perhaps the fact Pauls put Nathan Heaney down twice before completing victory, the proud Stoke man unable to beat referee Michael Alexander’s ten count and there would be no anxious wait for the scorecards this time around.
Last time, there was a general feeling within Pauls’ support team they’d done enough to edge a competitive first bout on March 16. The subsequent reactions when the split draw was announced flickered from frustration to an acceptance that, at least he could hold his head high – this wasn’t defeat – merely a step in the right direction.
Heaney, four years older at 35 with far more seasoning under the Frank Warren school of exposure in the last four years, had benefited from several 50-50 fights where many expected he would be found out. It’s one thing being a ticketseller.
Being able to grit his teeth and pass through a variety of difficult challenges, domestic and international opponents dismissed, built up his self-belief to a place where he produced a career-best display against Denzel Bentley last November.
Former world title challenger Bentley was dealing with personal issues and wasn’t himself that night, as he revealed after blasting beyond Danny Dignum in May, but no excuses. The better man won, Manchester rejoiced and life moves on.
Pauls has almost exclusively boxed on shows across the UK in the small-hall circuit since his 2017 debut, whether at London’s timeless York Hall or a leisure centre nearer his hometown and defending the Southern Area divisional title with a seventh-round stoppage win over Robbie Chapman at Plymouth’s Guild Hall.
His first big TV break came on Channel 5 under the Sauerland’s Wasserman promotion, edging a split decision victory against 16-3 Birmingham boxer Ryan Kelly over ten rounds on a bill topped by Udofia vs. Bentley, going the latter’s way.
Udofia, whose swollen eye injury saw a competitive clash against Kieron Conway stopped two seconds into R6 (TKO) on a Matchroom show in Sheffield last October, makes his 2024 debut on Sept. 14 against 10-1 pro Dan Catlin, a final eliminator for the English middleweight title his close friend will forego after this career-best scalp.
Bentley won vacant British honours that night, subsequently defended it against Marcus Morrison and Kieran Smith – sandwiched between a short-notice fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly – and is scheduled to headline another York Hall card on August 17 as activity is key for the 29-year-old’s road back to prominence.
In an interview with John Evans published on BoxingScene last week, Bentley pinpointed routes to victory for both ahead of their rematch – naturally speaking as an interested observer, given they’re his domestic divisional rivals and one holds a prestigious title he previously did. How quickly things change without warning, ey?
“Rather than trying to win, he [Pauls] actually believes he can so we’re gonna see a lot more from Brad Pauls I think.
He knows his problem – he gets tired – so if he starts fast, he won’t finish strong. I think he wants to warm up the engine and then finish strong but might give up too many rounds. I don’t think Heaney is going to slow down because he knows he [Pauls] is gonna come on late but he’ll still expect a fast start.
If he lets Heaney get into a rhythm then he might let a few rounds go.”
Now, Pauls is exactly where Bentley found himself less than a year ago: top of the Brits, awaiting his next challenge. While offering Heaney a chance to run it back in a trilogy is admirable given he was given the opportunity, it’s difficult to see where the appetite for that spectacle is especially having watched it twice in four months.
A rematch and potential unification against BOXXER’s EBU European champion Tyler Denny, who startingly eased past him via UD10 to defend the English title on his next television appearance in February last year, is naturally of interest.
That’s if the serial underdog can pass a career-best test in 20-0 pro Hamzah Sheeraz on the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois undercard come September 21 after inflicting Felix Cash’s first career defeat last month.
For now, Pauls can afford to rest and relax while savouring a career-best victory as Heaney considers hanging up the gloves for good.
As he considers what the Frank Warren promotional machine can do for his career, the ever-changing landscape heightens around him at a time where Saudi interest continues to satisfy markets worldwide, so his next move will be intriguing.
Picture source: Queensberry / Stephen Dunkley unless stated
Mo and Sports 