By Danny Winterbottom: When the first bell tolls on April 14 at the Brentwood Leisure Centre just off the A12 in Essex, London based Iraqi heavyweight contender Ali Adams knows a combination of hard work and dedication to the sport he followed closely as a wide eyed youngster growing up in war torn Baghdad, has given him the opportunity to move out of the shadow of small hall shows, change his life, and in the process gate crash the burgeoning domestic heavyweight scene.
After a bout of good old fashioned trash talking, the 30-year-old, and his promoter Steve Goodwin, audaciously lured former Olympic champion and world title challenger Audley Harrison out of his sequined one piece and dancing shoes and into a fight tagged “Redemption or Retirement.”
“I want to show every boxer in the UK that fights for small money on small hall shows that anything is possible, if it wasn’t for my promoter this fight would not have happened” a determined Adams told Secondsout. With a record that currently reads 13-3-1 (5), Adams has plied his trade predominantly on low key cards around the country but he did have a taste of the limelight in 2010 when he made an appearance on Matchroom Sports hugely popular Prizefighter tournament, losing his opening fight to former British champion Matt Skelton on points. Since then he has hooked up with veteran coach Don Charles, a man he has huge respect for. “I went to Don in October 2011, he has been an amazing influence on me” said Adams, “He has given me belief and improved my boxing skills tenfold and is like a father figure to me.”
Growing up in Iraq during the Saddam Hussein years, Adams remembers the man he and most of his contemporises looked to for inspiration. “Ali(Muhammad), the one and only, he was my hero, my Dad was a boxer so I knew about him when I was very young.” The unbelievable reach and influence of the greatest of all time was evident even on the tough streets of the Iraqi capital but for a young man with dreams of emulating his hero, life there wasn’t conducive to finding the next heavyweight champion of the world. There were no state of the art gyms, no organised coaching sessions teaching young Iraqi’s the finer points of the noble art and no managers or promoters hunting for that diamond in the rough. “There was no boxing at all” explained Adams, “We would put on old boxing gloves and spar without headgear”
Leaving his homeland the year after the United States invaded in 2004, Adams and his father headed to Europe before landing in the UK. “My father thought it was better for us to get out and head for a new home in Britain, when I arrived here I couldn’t speak a word of English which was tough.” Despite this Adams got an education and later a job before his love affair with boxing took over his life and he began to fight as an amateur. “I won about 80% of my fights; I beat Tom Dallas and won several small titles.”
Finally turning over in 2007 with a win over well travelled 166 fight veteran Tony Booth on his debut, he lost his next two before his career in the pro game began to gather pace against the usual trail horses and tough as nails journeymen whilst continuing to learn his craft around the gyms of the capital. “I’ve sparred John McDermott and I now work regularly with Dereck Chisora and for this fight I will be getting southpaw sparring too. I have a Job working in security but for this fight I’m training full time, it’s my defining fight and I have to dedicate my life to it, I started an 11 week camp on Monday.”(Jan 23).
The gulf in class on paper is huge between the pair and despite Harrison’s recent flirtation with ball room dancing Adams hasn’t fought anybody with the experience or pedigree of the man the public love to hate. “He will really want it, it’s his last chance but a leopard can’t change its spots. When I pressure him and he realises that I’m prepared to die in the ring he will crumble” stated the 30-year-old. “When I beat him it will put me right in the mix with the likes of David Price, Tyson Fury and even Chisora.” A bold statement indeed but not out of the realms of possibility should he win in style. Following his hero’s repertoire for one liners Adams quipped “When I hit him in four he’s going to the floor!”
What is certain is that Adams holds no fear for the task ahead and will bring with him a sizeable following to cheer him on. “Every time I fight I’ve got a lot of fans turning up, so I want to win for them as well as me, all my friends and family I want them to go home happy.”
Ali Adams, a man born to fight, will get his chance to punch his way into the minds of the nation should he upset the odds and beat Harrison come April 14.
January 31, 2012
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