THINGS never appear to come easy for Bradley Goldsmith.
The outstanding Coventry middle has had nothing handed to him on a gold platter despite a glittering amateur career.
And by now I’m sure Goldsmith half-expected the hurdles he would have to overcome before appearing on Saturday’s huge Valiant Live Arena show in Derby.
The Boxxer bill, topped by Frazer Clarke’s British heavyweight title tussle with TKV, is being shown by the BBC.
First the show was pushed back a month, then Goldsmith had to endure what has become a near customary merry-go-round of opponents.
He was originally scheduled to face unbeaten Mario Silva, but that went by the wayside. So did another proposed bout.
The 27-year-old will now face Barnet’s Jordan Dujon over eight rounds – a fight signed and sealed only days ago.
“It’s third time lucky,” Goldsmith, who has lost only one of 14, said with some relief. “It’s been a bit of a nightmare, really, but you have to be grateful. I’m still fighting on a major platform, I still have a good test.”
It is a decent test for Goldsmith. Dujon has won 10 of 15 and held the Southern Area title at light-middle. He’s also mixed in very good class, taking former British welter champ Harry Scarff the full distance.
Bradley hasn’t spent hours studying videos of Dujon – for good reason.
“Gone are the times when I looked at people,” Goldsmith admitted, “because things change. It’s pointless me checking things out and them pulling out.
“I’m just excited to get back in and putting on a performance. I’ve been doing all the right things in the gym.”
It’s the second taste of big-time arena boxing for Goldsmith, trained by Dominic Ingle in Sheffield. The first one, at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Live Arena in April, didn’t go to plan, with the red-hot prospect halted in seven by Midlands champ Troy Coleman.
I’ve watched that tremendous scrap back a number of times and remain convinced the setting and occasion played a large part in Goldsmith’s shock defeat. That is an assessment not intended to diminish the courage and determination displayed by Coleman.
In a fight he was winning, Brad – too eager to please the army of fans in attendance, too eager to make an impact on TV – opened the throttle too soon and punched himself to the point of near exhaustion.
That lesson is a lot easier to learn than eradicating a defensive flaw. And, to his immense credit, Goldsmith has never hidden behind excuses or played a blame game.
It happened, he’s owned it, he’s emerged from it and has moved on. In July he bounced back with a one round blast out in Dubai.
“I had a glimpse of the big stage in April,” Goldsmith said. “The result wasn’t good, my performance up to that point was very good.
“Mentally, I did learn about myself from it. I haven’t been dwelling on it, I haven’t been paranoid about it happening again. I had a run out in July, it was quick but it relieved a bit of pressure.
“I’m excited to perform again on the big stage and know I’m more than ready.”
