Chris Jenkins is baffled about the lack of respect received: "Perhaps my face doesn’t fit?"
British and Commonwealth Welterweight champion Chris Jenkins (22-3-3, 8 KOs) believes he gets little love for his achievements and is avoided by the supposed very best.
Among those showing little interest in proving themselves is Conor Benn who turned down a big offer from Queensberry to face the Swansea terror last year.
Queensberry stablemate Ekow Essuman (14-0, 5 KOs) isn’t ducking and challenges Jenkins for his British and Commonwealth Welterweight titles at SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday July 24, live on BT.
“I am the boogeyman,” insists Jenkins who will be having his ninth professional title fight when he takes on mandatory challenger Essuman later this month.
It will be the Welshman’s third defence of the British title he took from Johnny Garton in March 2019 and the second occasion Jenkins has risked the Commonwealth belt he won against Paddy Gallagher five months later when it was vacant.
Both fights were on the road, and the dad-of-three added: “I don’t think I get the respect I deserve, but I come through the fights.
“I wasn’t meant to beat Johnny Garton or Paddy Gallagher, but managed both.
“I don’t know why I don’t get respect because I have been fighting at the top end of domestic level since the first fight against Tyrone Nurse six years ago.
“I have had several major championship contests and I’m never in a dull fight even when I was in the ‘Who needs me club,’ and took fights at two or three weeks’ notice.
“Maybe it is because I get cut, don’t bother with social media or perhaps my face doesn’t fit. I am happy in life though and it doesn’t get to me. I have got a thick skin.
“I think there are fighters who have done a lot less than me and get more respect, but nobody is going to be everyone’s cup of tea.
“Hopefully, the respect will come after I beat Essuman, but if not I will still sleep well in my bed at night because life is good.”
Jenkins hasn’t boxed since a technical draw against Liam Taylor in November 2019 when he sustained a badly cut left eye that ended the bout in round three.
He had been due to face Nottingham’s Essuman in March but was ruled out because of a perforated ear drum.
Essuman questioned the injury, but Jenkins hit back: “He can say what he wants about my injury.
“I was examined by a British Board of Control doctor. I wanted to fight on, but the Board is rightly safety first so I couldn’t be passed fit.
“I’ve got a family to care for. Does he think I want to pull out injured?’
“The ambition is to beat Essuman, shut him up and move on.”
Joyce vs Takam
Chris Jenkins vs Ekow Essuman is on a bill headlined by Joe Joyce v Carlos Takam for the WBC Silver and WBO International titles at the SSE Arena, Wembley on July 24.
Hamzah Sheeraz (12-0, 8 KOs) makes the third defence of his WBO European title against Spaniard Ezequiel Gurria (15-1, 3 KOs).
In a well matched fourth title fight, Peacock gym ace Chris Bourke (9-0, 6 KOs) defends his WBC International super-bantamweight title against Bloxwich’s James Beech Jnr (12-1, 2 KOs).
There is also heavyweight action featuring David Adeleye (6-0, 5 KOs), while Mill Hill’s George Fox (3-0) will make his Queensberry debut. Reading super-featherweight hope Charles Frankham (2-0, 1 KO) has also been added to the stacked bill., along with 'The Gent' Micky Burke Jr (4-0, 1 KO) who also returns after his first stoppage victory in November last year.
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