By Dewi Powell: Having recently been made mandatory challenger for John Murray’s British lightweight title, Gavin ‘The Rock’ Rees, 33-1-(15), recently took time out to talk to SecondsOut about moving down to lightweight, rival Kevin Mitchell and more.
Following Enzo Calzaghe’s ‘break’ from boxing, whom Rees had been with since childhood, The Welshman decided to head to former stable mate Gary Lockett. Lockett, former WBU middleweight champion, has become a trainer based at Darren Wilson’s gym (Fight Academy Wales in Llantrisant) following his retirement in 2008.
Rees revealed he had no doubts about teaming up with the man known as ‘The Rocket’ in his own fighting days.
“It was a quite straight forward move to be honest. Down Newbridge (Enzo Calzaghe’s gym) everything was going a bit stale and that so I hadn’t boxed for a while, the move had to be done sooner or later. So I’d rather go to a friend like Gary than someone I didn’t know” explained Rees.
Rees believes that Lockett’s approach and influence have given his game another dimension and made his attacks more effective.
“With Enzo it was a lot of punches, with Gary I tend to sit down on my punches now and pick a lot of shots. My last fight was a lot better, I stopped him (Sam Amoako) in the third round and he went 12 rounds with (Lee) McAlister” commented the former WBA junior-welterweight champion, highlighting that the style which Gary Lockett is instilling in him will also be a great match for the move down in weight.
The move down to lightweight from junior-welterweight is one which Rees had been looking to make since before his triumph in Prizefighter, an opportunity at junior-welterweight he couldn’t refuse. Now finally at lightweight Rees is eyeing up the big fights starting with a British title fight, but Rees is realistic in admitting it’s unlikely to be against the undefeated Murray.
“He’s already won it outright aint he, so he’s obviously gunna concentrate on the European and he’s looking at a WBC eliminator or something so I won’t be surprised if he gives it up in the next couple of weeks”.
Despite it seeming unlikely that John Murray will defend his British title against Rees, Rees makes no mistake that it’s one of two fights he’s eager to take to prove his claim that he is Britain’s best lightweight.
“The only two fights I want in Britain are Kevin Mitchell and John Murray. I’m still ranked number two at junior-welterweight in Europe so I’ve come down to lightweight and can’t see why I can’t make number one or two again and hopefully I’ll be the mandatory for that (the European title) before long”.
And talking of the immediate future Rees said “I’d like Kevin Mitchell but I don’t think he’d touch me with a barge pole to be honest.”
Now back at lightweight, Rees will be a handful for anyone domestically with his come forward, crowd pleasing style. The change of trainer could well be the breath of fresh air Rees and the discipline needed to propel him back to the top of his sometimes stuttering career due to lengthy absences from the ring – something he recognises himself.
But with a major domestic title fight around the corner Gavin Rees really is ready to rock at lightweight.
September 1, 2010
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