15 Things you didn’t know about British middleweight champion Tommy Langford
BBN found some interesting facts about the Bideford-born, Birmingham-based boxer:
1. Tommy Langford, who is currently 20-3 in his pro boxing career, was born and raised in the historic port town of Bideford in North Devon, but has lived in Birmingham for the past decade.
2. He only took up boxing, aged 12, as a side hobby to help improve his fitness as a football player, but quickly took to the sport.
3. He became the most successful boxer that Bideford Boxing Club ever had, winning over 20 amateur titles and captaining the England boxing team.
4. He had notable wins in the amateurs over Commonwealth Games medalists Callum Smith and Anthony Fowler, yet they were both picked for Team GB over him. The friendly rivalry with super-middleweight world champion 'Mundo' Smith continues to this day as the pair are regular sparring partners and good pals.
5. World title contender Frankie Gavin is the sole reason that Tommy ended up in Birmingham. A chance meeting in an England training camp way back in 2006 saw Tommy spar with Britain’s first ever World amateur champion and was so impressed with Gavin’s slick skills that he immediately arranged to spar him again the next weekend at his gym in Birmingham – Hall Green Boxing Club – where he travelled over 200 miles to meet up with him with his trainer, Tom Chaney, and has remained there ever since.
6. Tommy is a university graduate and both parents are teachers. His dad, David, is a keen sportsman and has trained players at the Exeter FC football academy, such as George Friend from Barnstaple, who currently plays for Middlesbrough FC.
7. Also a football fanatic, Tommy is a huge West Bromwich Albion FC fan and season ticket holder, as is his dad, who was born and raised in the Black Country and still has family there. The 29-year-old is heavily involved with the club that he follows avidly and even writes a regular column in their match day programme, which has been running for over four seasons, and the Albion fans have even renamed him the 'Baggies Bomber'.
8. As a fledgling pro, Tommy performed on the small hall circuit around the West Midlands, reaching 7-0, which is when he caught the eye of Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren and officially signed contracts.
9. Up until his 16th pro bout against Lewis Taylor for the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title, Langford had previously won every single round of his first 15 fights – 77 out of 77.
10. After winning and defending the WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title on four occasions, he was ranked as high as no.2 in the WBO world rankings before his defeat to Avtandil Khurtsidze in April 2017.
11. He has claimed three major titles so far – the WBO Inter-Continental; Commonwealth; and British middleweight belts.
12. He made history by becoming the first boxer from North Devon to hold both the British and Commonwealth titles.
13. Despite moving away and settling in the West Midlands, Tommy always remembers his roots and takes time out every week to write a weekly column in his local North Devon Journal newspaper, which has been running for over four years.
14. His unwavering dedication to his hometown has seen him honoured by the Mayor of Bideford, David Howell, with the coveted Town Shield for his achievements in sport and services to Bideford.
15. True to his Devonshire roots where he grew up, Tommy is a keen surfer and loves a cider!
To follow Tommy Langford on Twitter, click here @Tommy_Langford1
Tommy Langford would like to thank his sponsors HÖRFA; Broadway Casino; BLK Sport; UK Display Stands; JS Wright & Co Ltd; The Thatched Inn; VIP Vapers; St Philips Chambers; Strategy Plus; CNP Professional; Atlas Pain Relief; Ringside UK; and Agent Tim Rickson