Get to know Hampshire's Sam Horsfall better
BBN throw a series of quickfire questions at the light-heavyweight from Farnborough.
Name: Sam Horsfall
Record: (3-1)
Weight: Light-heavyweight
Born: Frimley, Surrey
Residence: Farnborough, Hampshire
DOB: 06/03/1993
Nickname? “No, never thought of one. My trainer always calls me Forrest because he told me to run on a treadmill once and don’t stop, so I just kept going and he had to tell me to stop and come off!”
Favourite all-time boxer? “Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward.”
Favourite current boxer? “Anthony Joshua.”
Favourite fight? “Best fight I’ve seen live was Joshua vs Klitschko.”
Boxing clubs? “Always been at Frimley Boxing Club, we train at Camberley Boxing Club sometimes for sparring and even at my trainer’s house.”
Amateur honours? “I had 18 unlicensed fights, I won 16 of those, lost one, drew one; collected two titles – the UKBU London championship title at York Hall and the Southern Area title at a show in Frimley.”
Biggest achievement in boxing? “Turning professional.”
Toughest ever opponent? “Toughest ever fight was the draw I had in the unlicensed with a boxer we all called ‘The Russian’. It was a real tough fight and he gave me a standing eight-count in the third, which is why it ended as a draw. The hardest spar I’ve ever had was with Felix Cash. We did six-rounds together, he’s just really strong, keeps coming forward no matter what, so we both went at it for six rounds!”
Goals in boxing? “I want to go all the way and get the WBC world title. It’ll be nice to get the British, but I don’t see why not aim for the highest.”
Retirement age? “Nah, I’ll just go until I can and see what happens, take each fight as it comes.”
Team? “Matt Gorton is my trainer, Aaron Collins is my training partner, so it’s just us three, the circle is small and close. My manager is Mo Prior and Charles Oliver from Camberley.”
Boxing style? “Rangy and aggressive.”
Ring walk song? “I change it every time. The last one was ‘Here Comes the Hot Stepper!”
Pre-fight rituals? “I always eat a pack of blueberries on fight day, as it’s supposed to be really good for concentration.”
Favourite brand of gloves? “Winning.”
Best venue? “It was the York Hall, but probably The O2 after my fight in Ultimate Boxxer.”
Favourite belt? “WBC.”
Favourite football team? “Don’t watch football.”
Other sports? “No, just boxing.”
Favourite sportsman? “Floyd Mayweather for the money he’s made and the life he leads.”
Hobbies: “I sometimes play tennis or squash.”
Last TV programme you watched? “I don’t really watch TV.”
Last film you watched? “Open House – a horror movie.”
Favourite music? “Smooth FM for the classics.”
Favourite food? “I like steak.”
Favourite restaurant? “The Exchequer pub in Crookham Village near Fleet.”
Favourite brand? “Just like a pair of plain white trainers, they can be from anywhere.”
Favourite superhero? “Me!”
Phobias? “I don’t like spiders.”
Motto? “Always do one more.”
Next fight? “Just fought last March, looking for my next date now.”
What fight do you want to see happen this year? “Canelo vs Billy Joe Saunders – I’d say Canelo wins that. I would like to have seen Anthony Joshua vs Mike Tyson, as that would have been a very good fight, probably have to pick Tyson to win that.”
What is the best division in boxing to watch? “Probably the super-middleweights because they’ve got everything – skill, power, speed.”
If you could fight anyone, past or present, who would it be? “Andre Ward.”
What would you most like to be remembered for? “For my all-round ability, someone like Canelo with a bit of everything.”
If you weren’t a professional boxer, what would you be? “Probably just doing what I’m doing now, which is scaffolding. I would love to be a property developer someday.”
Insta? @sam_horsfall