GULLY Powar, a sawn-off bundle of fighting fury, has had to show patience during the long countdown to his British featherweight title chance.
To my knowledge, his clash with former fine Welsh amateur Rhys Edwards has twice been shelved after the Tonypandy talent suffered injury.
Whispers are that the long wait is almost over. Nothing confirmed, but the word is the pair will meet for the vacant title on February 28 in Cardiff.
Powar – part of Richard Carter’s booming Wolverhampton gym – has dealt with the delays with exemplary professionalism.
Still only 23, he’s stayed in the gym, remained focused, never become sidetracked.
That’s what I’ve come to expect from Powar, who has lost only one of 14. There are a handful of fighters who eat, sleep and breathe boxing: Gully appears totally consumed by it. It’s even more than a religion to the contender, it’s life itself. He possesses a “refuse to lose” mentality.
“He (Edwards) has been injured and I can’t do nothing about that,” Gully shrugged during a break in training. “I’ve just been in the gym ever since. I’m ready – my mind is ready, my weight is ready.
“I think I’ve trained too hard (to lose). I’ve always challenged myself, now I’m ready to challenge myself against the best fighter.”
Edwards, who has lost only one of 18, is a very, very good fighter and, bolstered by home advantage, will start favourite against the Black Country buzzsaw. He’s been on the big stage from the beginning, while Powar has grafted in small halls.
But I really fancy Powar to bring home the Lonsdale Belt, despite harbouring doubts about Carter’s protégé during his early outings.
Back then, I watched Gully unleash volley upon volley of combinations against lesser opponents – at times it was like witnessing someone working a heavy bag – without really putting a dent in them.
In hindsight, that was understandable. He was up against lightweights, even super-lightweights. At 9st, he’s a very different animal – sharper, faster and harder hitting.
For me, the real clincher was Powar’s display against thunderous punching, world class Brandon Mosqueda in the Dubai based WBC Grand Prix tournament.
He lost on points, but gave Mosqueda all the trouble he could handle – and pushed back a man considered Mexico’s next superstar in the later rounds.
Mosqueda, who went on to win the lucrative competition which involved the world’s best featherweight prospects, is far more dangerous than anyone Edwards has fought.
Powar said: “Hopefully – and I’m not looking past the British title fight – I can potentially rematch him for a world title, down the line.
“I’m training smarter now, my skills are better, there’s a lot more to come from my career. I’ve listened to Richie (Richard Carter) and done everything he’s asked. I have a nutritionist and it’s made a huge difference to my career. I’m a 12 round fighter, I up the pressure in the later rounds.
“In a 12 round fight I believe I would’ve stopped Mosqueda in the later rounds. I’m a very confident fighter, I don’t believe anyone can beat me in a 12 round fight.”
Powar added: “I’ve always been focused, it’s just the way I am. I’m not looking past the British title, I’ve got tunnel-vision. A lot of people doubted me and, in some ways, I’ve surpassed my own expectations – I didn’t expect to challenge for a British title so soon.”
And now the chance has come, he intends to grasp it with both hands.
