Super-middleweight Ace Adam is readying for second pro fight
Catford’s Ace Adam (1-0) is back in training camp preparing for his next fight on Friday, March 21.
The ABA finalist and Queensbury Boxing League champion defeated Enfield’s Guycha Muele (0-2) via third-round TKO on his professional debut on November 29 at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on a Hellraiser Promotions show.
The 26-year-old will be back on another Hellraiser show, promoted by manager Mickey Helliet, but the venue hasn’t been announced yet.
“I’m back out on March 21,” Ace enthused. “Quite certain it will be at Harrow Leisure Centre, but it’s not confirmed yet.”
The super-middleweight from South London hasn’t been out of the gym since his debut, staying ready for the next fight date to come.
“I’ve been ticking over and doing everything you’re meant to; now there’s a fight date, my mentality is still the same, but I’m more fired up, obviously I have to do roadwork, running, track work, but there’s something to work towards.”
‘Lightning’ Ace admitted to feeling very nervous in his induction to the paid ranks last year, even during the fight itself, which is quite unusual. Most debutants will talk about nerves and anxiety right up to the ringwalk, but once the bell sounds, it eases away.
Ace still felt edgy after the first round, but his coach in his corner, known as Eyez, from Sting ABC, gave the right words of advice to settle him down to force the stoppage in the third round after bringing his opponent down three times, although one was ruled as a push.
He reflected on his first fight, “I would say that I’ve got that fear out of the way from that first one. Everyone is excited so there’s lots of pressure. I was very nervous, I had lots of nervous energy and I wasn’t fully relaxed, that’s where I would say my coach Eyez has done fantastic. It was the same in the Queensbury [Boxing League], in my first fight, I was very nervous but second one I was ok and I was able to adapt.
“A lot of people don’t even make the pro debut, like Bernard Hopkins, he lost his pro debut, it has all these factors to it. But now the first fight is out the way, the second one is literally down to business and I’m just focused on getting the job done.”
Ace’s example he mentioned, Hopkins, lost his pro bow on points but went on to become an undisputed middleweight champion and Lineal light-heavyweight champion.
Adam trains at Sting ABC in Croydon but also moves around to other gyms to gain valuable sparring experience. He reeled off his list of sparring partners for his second professional training camp, “Fingers crossed, I’ll be sparring Tyrone Williams [cruiserweight from Balham], maybe Zak Chelli [former Southern Area super-middleweight champion] and some of the boys from Sting ABC and Double Jab in New Cross. It’s always nice to spar the young amateurs because they’re hungry.
“My aim is to fight at least four times this year, ending the year on 5-0 will be sweet.”
In order to fight regularly at the lower echelons of the sport known as the hurt business, fledgling pros are expected to sell a certain number of tickets to cover their opponent’s purse and ‘the house’, which is the term for the promoter’s costs of hiring the hall, ring, officials and such.
“I had about a hundred support me in my pro debut, so I expect even more this time, just got to stay focused and get that ‘W’. The more support the get, the better, and I’d really like to get my community in Catford behind me.
“People expect a lot of things, but somehow, in some way, they will always get excitement from me. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m going to do, I’m very unpredictable, but they always get excitement when I fight.”
Ace has trained with head coach, Eyez, at Sting ABC since 2012, he had 18 amateur bouts and reached the ABA Novices finals in 2014. Instead of turning pro, he tested himself in the Queensbury Boxing League, run by former English champion Ross Minter, and won the national light-heavyweight title whilst going unbeaten in six fights.
‘Lightning’ Ace Adam is looking for sponsorship support, please contact TR Sports Agency for enquiries: 07951 456 457
To follow Ace Adams on Twitter, click here @officialaceadams
Ace would like to say thanks to his sponsors and Agent Tim Rickson