Bulgarian prospect all set to start professional journey in 2021
21-year-old debutant, Radoslav Saraliyski, from Bulgaria, has signed professional contracts with established promotions company Boxing Connected, after moving to England three years ago.
The super-lightweight lives in Chatham and trains with coaches Lee Page and Chris Lamontagne at Kent Gloves Boxing Club in Gillingham, alongside Ultimate Boxxer finalist Lenny Fuller; national amateur champion Lewis Southgate; Southern Area title contender Jack Budge; and unbeaten welterweight Brooklyn Tilley.
The Eastern European explained his slow and understated start in the sport, “I started boxing at 16-years-old. I was a basketball player but decided to stop to start up boxing. I used to train in my garage for the first time without coaches because I come from a small town with no boxing gyms or boxers; I’m the first ever pro boxer from Zlatograd.
“After a year of training on my own, I found an amateur boxing club near my city (31 miles away) but I only had enough money for two sessions a week. I experienced five unlicensed fights in Bulgaria.”
Radoslav made the bold decision to leave his home country and travel 2,750 miles to Kent, solely with the ambition of becoming a professional boxer.
“I’ve been in the fight game for nearly five years now,” he continued. “I decided to move from Bulgaria when I was 18 to start my pro boxing journey in the UK to change my life and my family’s life.
“My close friend took me to the Kent Gloves gym and I had my first session with trainer Terry Wright and he introduced me to Lee [Page] and Chris [Lamontagne].”
Saraliyski fought in the GBBU unlicensed boxing circuit in Kent, where he won three bouts and lost once, when fighting for a Novice title.
“I didn’t really have a coach or proper training for the title fight,” he explained. “It was a good experience for me because we didn’t have any leagues like that in Bulgaria to gain experience from.”
Boxing Connected’s last show was one year ago on the quadrennial Leap Year date of February 29. The small hall boxing scene has been non-existent for an entire year due to the global pandemic, but promoter Joe Elfidh is planning ahead to when restrictions lift in mid-May.
He said, “We’re looking at start pencilling dates when restrictions lift in the middle of May. Anything could change between then, but we want to start pencilling dates in to work towards.”
Elfidh then commented on his newest signing, “He’s a top kid, a really nice lad, and he’s made a vast improvement this last year under the guidance of Lee Page, when changing from unlicensed to pro.
“He’s going to be one to watch because he really wants it. He trains hard, he’s in the gym every day, he’s learning, he’s dedicated – I’ve never ever seen him miss a single session.”
The debutant, who describes himself as a pressure-fighter, is also looking ahead to his pro debut, “I’m still new here and building up a fan base, I have people who will always come and watch, but now even more will want to come because it will be my pro debut.”
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