BBN visit the historical county town of Maidstone to meet ‘The Main Man’ Lenny Fuller for the latest edition of Prospect Watch
Maidstone man Lenny Fuller (1-0) admits to experiencing a limited amateur career but that didn’t show in his debut against Stockport six-footer Dale Arrowsmith (1-16-1) last May, as he decked the visiting fighter in the second-round and cruised to a landslide points win to kick off his pro career in style.
The Chart Sutton resident lived up to his moniker – The Main Man – as he stole the show on the talent-packed JE Promotions’ ‘Young Guns’ card with his flawless performance, roared on by a 200-strong crowd in the bleachers.
The former unlicensed champion dazzled behind his sharp jab, displaying the composure of a seasoned veteran in his inauguration to the paid ranks, a place where he will be well suited.
He reflected on his pro bow, “I was set a game plan and told by my trainer that I executed it to the letter, holding the centre of the ring and not rushing anything. I worked everything off the jab and stuck to my boxing, I felt I was switched on throughout the whole fight and overall both me and my team were happy with it.”
Referee Jeff Hinds scored the fight at 40-35 to the father of two from a traveling background who has a maturity beyond his 24-years and an air of confidence that could rival the Eubanks!
The former Westry ABC student revealed how his gypsy heritage is responsible for developing his fine fighting skills, “Coming from a travelling background, the boxing club is just the place to go. I had four brothers and we were constantly fighting and my uncle was a good amateur, but we’ve always been into it, all of us, even my nan is into boxing!”
Fuller was also fortunate to have grown up in an era when two of the UK’s most influential fighters were active, “I really liked watching Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton, too. I thought a lot of them and they were very influential to me and many others at the time. I suppose even Amir Khan, too.”
Despite spending so much time in the boxing gym, the 154-pounder did not experience an extensive amateur career, he explained, “I had a very limited amateur career with Westry ABC from the age of 11. I stopped the amateurs at 14 but I’ve never been out of the gym. You never really take the gloves off once you put them on and I was always training and learning, and I came back when I was 18 wanting to compete again, so I took up unlicensed boxing with Maidstone Boxing Club.
“I lost my first ever amateur fight, but I came back stronger for it, and then I won titles in the IBA, EBA, UKBC and boxed in Ross Minter’s Queensbury League after linking up with my trainer Lee Page at the Combat Sports Academy in Rochester.”
Fuller is now signed to JE Promotions, a thriving promotional outfit based in Kent headed by former pro Joe Elfidh, a Central Area title contender who won seven from 11 fights and went the distance with two-time world champion Scott Harrison.
Fuller explains how he met his manager, “I started sparring over at Ray Askew’s Invicta Gym in Sheerness on Sundays with Luke Gibb [a 3-1 pro] and amateurs from other gyms and that’s where I first met Joe. He asked me about turning over so my team and I talked to him for a few weeks and decided it was the right time. There’s a real buzz about boxing in Kent at the moment, thanks to Joe, and I felt at 23 I wasn’t getting any younger! I feel good right now and strong, and I believe I’ve got a good team around me and I’ve signed with a good promoter.”
Fuller is all booked to fight next on MTK’s September 21 event at the Brentwood Centre in Essex, alongside JE stablemate Grant Dennis as he aims to rebuild from his English title defeat.
For Fuller, it’s another step in the direction of the British title that he is adamant he can achieve in his career. It’s too early to tell if his talent will take him to that level, but his desire and sureness are already equal to that of a champion.
Subscribe to JE Promotions’ YouTube channel to see all the fights in full: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSxqeCbY2l6qDTEFmcMCuVQ
For tickets to the next show, visit https://www.facebook.com/JEsportsnetwork/ or call 07883 943994
JE Promotions would like to thank Kent Trade Frames – Campbell Nutrition – Swerve City – Basement159 – RoofDec – 1ClickPrint – Invicta Gym and PR Manager Tim Rickson