Sam Eggington – Journeyman to European Champion

Sam Eggington – Journeyman to European Champion

By @highguardboxing

Familiar face Sam Eggington is back in action this weekend away from our television screens, surely a run out after losing his European title before we see him back on Sky Sports again. What everybody may not know is that Sam started his professional career with every intention of becoming a journeyman. Although a journeyman is a skill that I believe should be highly respected, Eggington is what one might call an accidental champion.

If you have watched Eggington fight before then you would know that he has a very watchable style. He plods forward with a high guard throwing straight left hands and hooks the guard with little consideration for head movement. He doesn’t worry about taking a shot to give one at all. Perhaps it is this style that meant that he was not suited to the life of a journeyman, Sam’s style often does not translate into a long career.

When he was 18, Eggington found himself unemployed with a family to support. He is on record as saying that if he did not have a son, he would not have become a professional boxer. He turned professional with every intention to fight in the away corner. His manager, Jon Pegg, asked to see him spar and then took him under his wing. Sam Eggington won his first professional fight so the journeyman went out of the window and he decided to see how far he could take his career.

Along with entering Prizefighter twice at the start of his career, Eggington has won a Midlands Area title, a WBC International Silver title, the Commonwealth and European title. Also, although you could claim that he was shot, Eggington had a victory over the world-class Paulie Malignaggi. What he has shown, is if you put in the hard work and take a chance, you can most certainly rise to the top of the domestic scene.

Upon losing his European title to the slick Mohamed Mimoune, it was clear that he was struggling at the weight. However, at the tender age of 24, the move up to super welterweight may be the perfect opportunity for Sam. Not only will it be easier to get within the weight limit, but we may see more natural power from him and it even gives the opportunity to become a two-weight champion.