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Liverpool super-middleweight Tony Quigley will box for his first professional title on March 28 at the Echo Arena, but admits he came close to ditching his punching career for a stint in mixed martial arts.
Set to face English champion Paul David at “Hayemaker 6:The Mersey Beatdown”, Quigley’s title shot brings an end to a period of frustration and disappointment, which threatened to lead the Scouser elsewhere in pursuit of kicks.
“This is the kind of fight and event I’ve been dreaming about since I turned pro,” admits the ambitious 24-year-old. “I’ve been pushing for meaningful fights for the last few years and now I’ve got one. I’m not one for waiting around and building my career slowly.”
In compiling a 12-1 (5) pro record, Quigley has battled durable opponents, as well as the hunger to fight better ones. Such has been Quigley’s frustration in the past 12 months, he even considered seeking challenges in the cage.
“I started going down the road of mixed martial arts and the UFC simply because I fell out of love with boxing and became frustrated by it,” says Quigley, who successfully made it through the trials for The Ultimate Fighter television series.
“I’m a boxer through and through, but I wasn’t happy with the progress I was making in the sport.
“I trained a lot with British UFC fighters and helped them with their stand-up game and their boxing skills. They would then teach me about the ground game. I was serious about doing it and was getting offered contracts to move into MMA full-time.”
It wasn’t long before Quigley had a big decision to make.
“I got to a crossroads one day and could either turn left into mixed martial arts or right into boxing and I stayed with boxing. That’s what I’m naturally good at. I want to conquer the boxing world first before I move into MMA. I’ve gone back to correct my boxing career and start taking things seriously now.”
For the time being at least, Quigley is a promising pugilist with titles in mind. His quest for belts begins on March 28 in his home city against English titleholder David.
“David a big super-middleweight who is unorthodox and can punch,” assesses Quigley. “I’ll have to be at my absolute best to beat him. He’s never been stopped before and I’d love to be the first person to do it – especially with it being in Liverpool. That would make a major statement. I’m more than capable of doing it.”
With the emphasis on a stoppage victory, Quigley is looking for a breakthrough performance on March 28. David has been warned.
“I really think he’s underestimating me,” adds Tony. “He’s a very cocky fella and thinks he’s number one already. He’ll go in there and see me as a routine defence – someone he’s going to just walk through. He wants the winner of Brian Magee and Tony Dodson and even said that at the press conference. It’s no big secret.
“The thing is, if he fights anyone above a certain level, David ends up getting beat. Beneath that level, though, he’s dangerous. I just need to show how good I am on March 28.”
In terms of occasion, Quigley couldn’t ask for a better backdrop to his eagerly anticipated title shot.
“I desperately wanted to be on this show at the Echo Arena,” explains Quigley. “An eight rounder would have done me, so the English title is a bonus. I’ve been to a Hayemaker show in the past, too, and they don’t half put the bills together well. It’s a good bill from top to bottom, with a load of hard-to-call fights. It’s almost more of a UFC card than a boxing one.
“To be honest, this is the first British boxing card I’ve seen with more even bouts than uneven ones.”
