FightPost Prospect Watch: Brad Pauls

FightPost Prospect Watch: Brad Pauls

By Liam Lawer

Think of Cornwall for a moment, and you might picture an old Celtic nation framed by rugged cliffs and beautiful beaches. Quiet little coves sit beside expansive golden sands, and the crashing waves and bracing sea air hint at a wild romance from long ago.

From this you may recall the Arthurian legends of kings and castles, knights at the roundtable and damsels in distress. For better or worse, you may even think of Ross Poldark, and from there the mining industry that still pockmarks this ancient land. Your mouth may water at the thought of a Cornish Pasty, stuffed to the brim, or a delicious cream tea on a warm afternoon. For the latter, remember only this:

Jam on first with the cream on top. All other forms, the locals will tell you, are just plain wrong.

Fortunately, violence is unlikely to follow any of your topping-based transgressions, a relief especially so if in the presence of our inaugural star of Prospect Watch: Brad Pauls.
middleweight Pauls is nicknamed ‘The Newquay Bomb’ after his hometown, a surfer’s paradise on the North Coast, and the punch power that he was first renowned for in the amateur ranks.

Launching Cornwall on the map again, in the boxing world at least, the admiring words spoken about him in old Kernow have spread across the country far and wide. They are set only to increase as more witness the 25-year-old’s superb talent. Ten wins with six knockouts since turning pro, his unblemished record includes triumphs over the tricky William Warburton and, in a Southern Area title eliminator, the tough Diego Burton. Should friend and stablemate Linus Udofia stumble in his bid to wrestle this belt from champion Tey-Lynn Jones, Pauls may well take the opportunity to bring it back to their gym himself.

That gym is known as the Club KO, located on Buckhurst Hill, Essex. Inside, Pauls is trained by the experienced Terry Steward, and shares it with the likes of Udofia, Kay Prospere and until recently Jake Ball. Add in Steve Goodwin promotions, who look after Brad, and it is clear he is in good hands. Speaking of hands, promotional videos and fight footage show that his power is at least matched by his speed, which continues to dazzle as he moves up the levels. An exciting prospect, in an important division, in a flourishing gym. The world awaits for this Cornish boy. Geddon!

Alas, Cornwall may not be a source of many noteworthy fighters, but like Arthur, some legends have graced its shores. The great three-weight champion Bob Fitzsimmons was born in Helston, and the prolific Len Harvey became more than a local idol during his storied career. Pauls is long way off such worthy status, but if he carries on in his current vein, people in a thousand years’ time may visit that place, with its eternal mystery, and try to pull a boxing glove out of stone. They will say, as the story goes, that King Brad did it once upon a time.