The Contenders: Langford, Speight & Day – Tommy Preps for Cardiff, Speight wins at the RIC and Day to Unveil New Style

The Contenders: Langford, Speight & Day – Tommy Preps for Cardiff, Speight wins at the RIC and Day to Unveil New Style

Picture of Tommy Langford (c) Queensberry Promotions; In-text Picture of Jamie Speight (c)Sport South Devon/Matt Green; Picture of Ben Day supplied by Ben Day.

There are three championship boxers from Devon, all flying the flag for the home county – Bideford’s Tommy Langford, Kingsteington’s Jamie Speight and Teignmouth’s Ben Day.

All three Devonians have moved away from home to further their boxing careers and each one has achieved title glory by doing so and plan to challenge for more belts this year.

The Contenders will keep you updated with a monthly column exclusive to Sport South Devon on their respective journeys to the top of the world.

Bideford’s Tommy Langford:

“Christian Fabian Rios, a previous opponent of mine who provided me with the first of my four WBO Inter-Continental title defences, was defeated on points by former IBF World middleweight champion David Lemieux last month.

“The result was a unanimous decision, pretty much identical to our fight back in October last year, but I believe that it demonstrates the level of competition that I have been in with and how close I am to mixing it with the world’s best.

“WBO World lightweight champion Terry ‘Turbo’ Flanagan has been added to the bill for my next fight on November 26th in Cardiff. So that’s a second world title fight making the event even bigger than before!

 “Obviously, I’m eyeing Billy Joe’s World title next year and being on the same show allows comparisons to be drawn.” – Tommy Langford

“WBO World middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders is also appearing, defending his title against the ‘Wolverine’ Artur Akavov.

“Obviously, I’m eyeing Billy Joe’s World title next year and being on the same show allows comparisons to be drawn.

“The show now has two world title fights, two British championships and one European title fight.

“The postponement from October 22nd to November 26th has been frustrating and I’m thankful to all of my fans that have stood by me. I promise that I will be the British middleweight champion on the 26th to repay all my loyal fans for their amazing support!

“I am running a heavily subsidised coach so please contact my dad Dave on 07877 730 986 for a seat.

“I’m back in training after a week-long break in Devon and in full flow once again. I’m looking forward to some world class sparring to prepare for my opponent Sam Sheedy.

“Four weeks out and I’ve got a strange sense of déjà vu as I’ve been in this position before already. It’s the second time that I’ve been one month away and looking forward to fighting but I’m working hard in training again and grafting away trying to sell tickets.

“Tickets are available on my website or at Bideford ABC.”

Kingsteington’s Jamie Speight:

“I was due to defend my Southern Area featherweight title against unbeaten prospect Lucas Balingall but unfortunately he pulled out with an injury just days before.

“Instead, I fought Khvicha Gigolashvili for the International Challenge featherweight belt on October 22nd at the English Riviera International Centre in Torquay.

“He was a tough lad, ranked third in his country, and he came to have a go. He caught me in the fifth round with a good shot, which staggered me a bit, but I got back behind my jab and regained my senses.

“I hit him with some good shots and thought that I might have got him out of there in the seventh and eighth round but he was durable and hung in there.

“I won 80-74 on points and I’d like to thank everyone that came out in support.

“I fought Khvicha Gigolashvili for the International Challenge featherweight belt on October 22nd at the English Riviera International Centre in Torquay…I won 80-74 on points and I’d like to thank everyone that came out in support” – Jamie Speight

“I’d also like to thank promoter Steve Goodwin for putting on the show on my home soil; I hope we can build on that success.

“A massive thank you to Jack Green who puts in countless hours with me, a big well done for his efforts!

“I would like to also give thanks to my sponsors Darren Toms of JEM Scaffolding, Dale Webb of Webb Landscapes, Danny Wordsworth of Enviropure Systems, Toby Murphy and Ben Sharp of Vaping Station.

“A further thank you to Steve is in order as I asked my management team if they could get me out again before Christmas and they have come up with the goods – I’ll be defending my Southern Area title on December 3rd at York Hall against unbeaten prospect Josh Kennedy.

“If any of you fancy a trip to London then I would love your support!”

Teignmouth’s Ben Day:

“I have been running around like a lunatic for the last month!

“My friend from Devon has been in hospital following a bad car accident so I have been visiting him in a Bristol hospital; my Ringtone Boxing Gym in London has been very demanding of my time lately and I have a funeral to attend next week.

“So, it has been stressful, regrettable and tiring – and taking away from time I should be spending training.

“However, my motto is, ‘Bless the struggle,’ and I live by that – my weight is good (thanks to my vegan diet) my technique is much better, and I’m punching harder than ever before!

“My trainers Greg and Rod have been working on my shots…More angles, better jab, everything is stronger and more polished. You’re going to see a new and improved fighter with a whole new style!” – Ben Day

“My trainers Greg and Rod have been working on my shots, turning punches over and getting more power generated from the feet – and I’m hitting harder on the backfoot. More angles, better jab, everything is stronger and more polished. You’re going to see a new and improved fighter with a whole new style!

“In my last couple of spars I’ve been working on some new stuff; I’m still elusive and flamboyant but just a little bit more vicious with the shots.

“I did an eight-round spar earlier and got hit only once throughout the entire 24 minutes!

“I face my former teammate Michael Devine, who I also count as a good friend, on December 3rd at York Hall for the vacant Southern Area lightweight title.

“My plan is to become a three-weight Southern Area champion. I’ve gone down from super-lightweight down to lightweight and I’m walking around at featherweight right now!

“And who says, after I achieve that, I can’t go on to be a four-weight champion?!!

To follow the contenders’ progress via Twitter, click the relevant link:

@Tommy_Langford1
@boxerjayspeight
@benday32