By Lee Collier

Early in March Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes become the British super-featherweight champion in only his 15th professional fight when he beat Manchester’s Andy Morris.  Sykes had to work hard for the win over Morris [a former British featherweight champion] to prevail on all three judges’ scorecards by scores of 115-114 [twice] and 116-113.

Sykes is now back in training waiting to find out about his first title defence but found his life had changed after the win.  “I think being British champion has sunk in now. I have been going to charity events, handing out trophies, it’s been crazy but in a good way but I started back at training this week so it’s back to normality,” he said.

Possibly the most shocking event was when the 26-year-old met the British Prime Minister after being invited to Downing Street.  “It was unreal meeting the Prime Minister last week,” recalled Sykes.  “It wasn’t due to me winning the British title but it’s because I have done something for my home town of Dewsbury, which has a bad reputation.”

Sykes only other close fight came against Anthony Crolla in 2009 in a British title eliminator and the Yorkshire man admitted that Morris was one tough opponent.  “It was a really tough fight. Since the weigh in he [Morris] looked like he’d put a lot of weight on and I thought it was going to slow him down,” explained Sykes. 

“I thought I could take over but he started to box clever and it really took a lot out of me.  It scrambled my mind too and with the fight going all 12 rounds it was a really tough and technical fight.”

The many observers who witnessed the fight can’t agree on who won, with both fighters having their supporters.  Sykes felt the fight was close but felt his power shots won him the fight.  “If he’d won I wouldn’t have kicked up a fuss.  Looking back I think I won the fight, when I was in the ring and at the final bell I felt I had won as I was getting through with the bigger shots,” revealed Sykes.

Sykes has now reached the point where, as a champion, he will not get the easy fights.  This is a challenge that the champion is looking forward to.  Potential match ups for Sykes include rematches with Manchester’s Andy Morris and Anthony Crolla, and a potential derby fight with the returning Carl Johansson.

“I am just interested in boxing and training and I leave the fights up to my manager/promoter but fighting Andy again would be good for me,” opined Sykes.  “I would get more time to train during the day for the rematch and you would see how much I’d improve.

“Now I have the experience to go alongside having the best trainer in the business [Julian McGowan], and he’ll analyse the first fight with Andy and he’ll bring up a game plan for a rematch which should make the second fight easier.”

Sykes then moved on to the potential derby fight.  “I’d love to fight Carl Johanneson as he can bang and that would put the fear into me which is what I thrive on,” revealed an honest Sykes.  “If Carl wins his fight next month and if he beats someone good then he could get himself back in the mix and make himself the mandatory and then I’d love that fight.”

Back in 2009 Sykes beat Anthony Crolla [97-94] over ten rounds and the 26-year-old would happily fight Crolla for a second time.  He said, “I think me and Crolla would be an entertaining fight but I feel I can work Anthony out easier than I could with Morris and it would be a good fight.”

Like any boxer with ambitions, Sykes intends to push himself beyond British level and sees himself challenging for European honours down the line.  “I feel I need more experience before stepping up, I watched Leva Kirakosyan beat Scott Lawton recently and I don’t think I’m at that level yet,” explained Sykes. 

“I’m 26 now so I’m approaching my peak years so I need some good fights now but I think maybe one or two fights depending on who I box next.  Fair play to Morris as he’s a great fighter but I want to start winning them easier rather than struggling but I think that was just down to Morris being good on the night.”