Archie Sharp teams up with RJJ
WBO #1 super-featherweight Archie Sharp (22-0, 9KO) has decided to team up with legendary boxer-turned-trainer Roy Jones Jr.
Now 53, the former four-weight world champion who won 66 from 75 bouts, is in the UK for his middleweight Chris Eubank Jr's fight with Liam Smith on January 21 in Manchester.
27-year-old Archie Sharp, from Welling in south London, announced on his social media channels on January 11: "Me and Richard Sawyer have partnered up with Roy Jones Jr., who will now be my head coach.
"After being at the iBox gym for two very good years I gained forever friendships and learnt a lot being with Al Smith and the team. I'll be forever grateful.
"I'm blessed to be part of a great team and looking forward to 2023, exciting year ahead we are also grateful to have Ryan Barrett along side us too. All this wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for my sponsors as well, so thank you."
‘Sharpshooter’ hasn't fought since his 10-round unanimous decision win over Alex Rat in Leeds in June 2022.
This new setup could mean Sharp is preparing for a fight date in the coming months as he sets sights on the vacant WBO World title. For the past couple of years, the unbeaten Brit has been chasing Shakur Stevenson, but has now shifted his focus to Oscar Valdez.
With Stevenson moving up to lightweight, ‘Sharpshooter’ hopes the WBO confirm that he can contest the now vacant title – and he believes Mexico’s Valdez would be his opponent.
Last October, told Probellum.com, “Ideally, me versus Valdez, is what will happen.
“I'm No.1, Valdez is No.3 and so that fight makes sense. I'm blessed to have a great team and I'm sure Probellum can get what we want over the line. At the minute, I'm just sitting here and waiting. I'm just keeping myself in shape and just being prepared to get the phone call to say there's a big fight.
“Valdez is a typical Mexican fighter, he's game, he's strong and he's always in good shape. He's a great fighter and he's done a lot over the years, but I feel I will do exactly what Shakur did to him and out-box him. And if we put the pressure on him, who knows, we might be able to get him out of there.
“Shakur has been the name in my head for a long time now. And everyone else has been running away from him while I've been running straight towards that fight because the fight I've always wanted.
“He's now gone to 135 so, ideally, what I want to do is take care of business at 130lbs and then I will be looking to move up. Regardless the fight is going to happen one day, whatever the weight.
“But for now, the next person to look for is Valdez. Hopefully in the next week or so I can get confirmation but now I'm excited and I'm grateful and I'm blessed to be in this position.”
