Jordan Flynn revealed plans to fight for titles at super-featherweight
Trained by world title contender Kevin Mitchell, unbeaten lightweight prospect Jordan Flynn (6-0, 1KO) notched up his sixth straight win earlier this month on July 2 at the York Hall.
The Oxford-born boxer beat journeyman Jahfieus Faure (1-6-1) 60-55 on points over six-rounds on the Mo Prior promoted event in Bethnal Green.
Weighing in at 133lbs, the lightest of his six-fight career so far, Flynn realises his championship prospects lie at super-featherweight and believes the division is wide open for him.
Speaking exclusively to BBN, Flynn reviewed his last fight back, where he took 200 travelling fans along with him at just three weeks notice, “The guy was tough and in good shape, the opponent got changed last minute so I didn’t know who I was fighting until I got in the ring. I thought he was a southpaw, but he was actually orthodox.”
From the West Midlands, Faure’s BoxRec details incorrectly lists his stance as southpaw.
“He was quite clever, had a good guard,” Flynn continued. “He was moving but not really committing, so he was a bit awkward; he wouldn’t stay on the ropes, if he felt the ropes, he’d get out of there or hold, he wouldn’t let you pin him on the ropes.
“I took my time and boxed him, broke him down, then I stepped on him in the sixth round and the referee even said to me if there was 10 more seconds in that round, he would have stopped the fight, so I should have stepped on him a bit earlier like in the fourth or fifth. I decided to take my time, there’s no rush, but the rounds go by so quickly, before I knew it, I was in the sixth round, so I stepped on him, but he was trying to survive and hold.”
Having moved up to six-rounds straight after his December 2019 pro debut, Flynn has now experienced five six-rounders in a row and is clearly ready for more.
“Where we train so hard, we spar like eight four-minute rounds; each round I get better and better, so I think in the next fight I need eight rounds, it will be a lot better for me.”
The youngster stays in Essex Monday to Friday in a local Premier Inn, funded by sponsors, then returns home at the weekends to rest. During the week, he is based at the Matchroom Boxing gym, surrounded by champions, such as newly-crowned IBF super-featherweight champion, Joe Cordina.
“I’m training with John Ryder, who is fighting at the top level; there’s Conor Benn, Felix Cash; I’m doing the same camp as these guys,” he listed.
“I spar with Joe Cordina, and we’ve always got sparring coming in. I spar with Alfie Winters, Conor Benn, I even sparred John Ryder last week! I mix it with all of them. Mark Chamberlain came down the other week and they were good rounds, he’s big for a lightweight, and I did eight rounds with him.
“Kevin [Mitchell] pushes you like a mad man, he gets you super fit. The endurance of all that will be for the long term. Kevin is very honest and he wouldn’t waste his time with me unless he believes I can achieve something.”
On the subject of achievements, Flynn is certain that championship challenges will be best suited down a division at 130lbs, where his trainer won titles himself, including British and Commonwealth belts.
“I’m gonna be competing for titles at super-featherweight,” Flynn confirmed. “Even my last fight, I weighed in at the lightweight limit on the same day weigh-in, so it’s only literally 2kg, so with a day before weigh-in, I’ll do super-featherweight easy.”
But before that he is only looking ahead to his next fight, which will likely be in a couple of months time, he hoped, “Probably looking at after the summer now, so I’d say September or October. I’m actually going away Thursday for five nights and then when I get back it’ll be back to training again. I fought just over a week ago and was sparring only yesterday.”
The young professional has a mature attitude to be fight-ready at all times, living the life in the gym constantly, which is a philosophy that has already paid off for him, he revealed, “You got to just stay ready, you never know when an opportunity will come up; last thing you want is to get a phone call from a big show and you have to turn it down because you’re not fit enough. My second pro fight, I had three days notice to do six rounds on Josh Taylor’s card, so when you stay in the gym you can do it.”
Flynn has been managed by Kevin Mitchell ever since his contract with MTK Global defaulted and has been able to fight three times this year already.
Having to travel 90 miles from Oxford to Romford and back again every week, Flynn explained how the unusual link-up came around, “When I first turned pro, my management at the time were looking at trainers and they got me to look at Kevin and we did a trial session and just hit it off from there, been training ever since.”
Having first started boxing aged eight, Jordan has boxed at the highest levels as an amateur, winning three national championships, and is continuing his education in the pro ranks, where he plans to become a champion again.
He gave his insight into what he learns from each new training camp, “You get more used to the lifestyle and how training is, day in – day out, it’s just repetitive, the hard sessions, boxing, sparring, you just get used to the lifestyle and you see how hard you need to work every day.”
Anthony Cacace is the reigning British super-featherweight champion, while unbeaten Londoner Liam Dillon holds the English title. Although admitting he doesn’t know much about those titleholders above him, he does know his own capability when the title shots come his way.
“I’m ready to get in with guys now,” he assured confidently. “Because how I’m doing with people in sparring – I know sparring is different to fighting – but I know that I’m ready. I’ve boxed at a high level my whole life, boxed for England, and I know what my strengths are, I’m strong for my weight, so I’m ready for these guys.
“Whatever Kevin [Mitchell] thinks, because everything is about timing, so within the next couple of fights I will be ready to get in with these guys.”
Still looking ahead at titles, he added, “This time next year, I definitely want to have a good title, and to be on the road to achieving things like a British title and be up there in the top levels of the super-featherweight division.
“I want to be a world champion, that’s always been my dream since I started boxing. It’s something I believe I can achieve, with a hard work. I’ve seen that with Joe [Cordina], who has achieved it himself, training alongside him being one of his main sparring partners I know that I can do the same thing.”
