The Oltai Boxing Interviews: Darren Gibbons

The Oltai Boxing Interviews: Darren Gibbons

By Paul Oltai 

I had been looking to speak to this man for a long time but had found it hard to pin him down at times.

To the ignorant man they would have thought Darren was being awkward and making things difficult to try to get hold of him, but it is not until you speak to the man who you fully understand just what his day consists of just to try and keep his head above water and also try and crack the world of professional boxing.

‘I work nights, then I got the school run and stuff, then I have training on top of that as well and then back to work so it is hard to find time for me. What is sleep? I love it though and wouldn’t change it for the world. I will do it the hard way because my whole life has been the hard way and I get through it all the time.’

Even with all this the enthusiasm in which he speaks about his profession as a boxer is not dampened. Knowing he has this time now in the present to change things for the future.

As you find quite often with boxing this is a sport that can take you from dark places and almost certain troubles as a juvenile/young adult to entering a world of self-discipline and respect. This rings true with Darren who during his early teens found himself getting into trouble that evidently could have led only two ways, prison or death. Speaking to him though you know that this is not how he wanted things to go.

So even while starting out in boxing he was creating a life after boxing through studies, eventually earning two degrees, one in structural interior design and a masters in quantity surveying. Leading to him working in a promising position for Network Rail and opening avenues for his future beyond the sport.

‘I tried to secure my life before getting into boxing because boxing unless you are at the very top is not a promising career, so I just wanted to do it the smart way. Because I had a child young I always had to provide and be the bread-winner so had to go down that avenue first. Then took up boxing professionally after that.’

I then asked Darren a few questions surrounding his route into boxing and what he wants to achieve from the sport. Please have a read and get to know the man that is Darren Gibbons.

What is your background in boxing?

‘I had about 23 fights and won 18 of them I fought for England against Scotland, done well won that fight and yeah have fought for an amateur club called the Lynn in the Peckham area. Now as a pro I am fighting out of a boxing gym called Churchills.’

What team do you have around you?

‘Churchills is quite new and hasn’t been open a long time but my trainer is called Samm Mullins and we have another fighter who isn’t pro yet who boxes for England and has got his GB trials coming up and he is heavyweight and that is who I work with a lot and move around with and spar with. His name is Courtney Bennett. We have a few small amateurs in there as well, but as far as it stands I believe so far I am Samm’s only professional fighter. He does have a female fighter as well called Roseanna (Cox) but she is currently on holiday and waiting to go pro.’

How do you feel your first season as a pro has gone?

‘I have had 3 fights so far, the first 2 fights I have taken it steady as my trainer Samm said just to take them steady and soak up the experience and don’t go for the knock out straight away. He told me to learn because previously before that I hadn’t had any fights for a couple of years, I had taken some time out to finish my studies. My 3rd fight was a bit manic and I got the knock out in two minutes and hopefully it is now the beginning of a knock out streak.’

What kind of style would you say you have?

‘I would compare and if I could put everything in a nutshell I do watch a lot of Larry Holmes and try to imitate him a lot. I am not to sure whether I do or not but I do try. So yeah I watch a lot of him so hopefully I do portray him a little and use some of his attributes. I have a good jab and just try to use it as often as I can.’

How would you like 2019 to go for you in terms of fights and achievements?

‘For my first year I had 3 fights and for my 2nd year I would love to have 5 fights so basically just for things to speed up a little bit, not to much just a little. But it is in my 3rd year that I would like to start going for titles.’

How far do you feel you can personally go in boxing?

‘I think I can go all the way, I spar with the best and I move around with the best so why not if I am holding my own with these can I not go all the way also? I am now just on the motorway driving back form sparring Dillian Whyte which was good stuff.’

If you did go all the way like you previously stated you think you can where would you most like to fight for a world title?

‘To be honest that is not important to me where I hold it or how I hold it, what is more important is the actual achievement of getting there in the first place. The belts and money, the money would be good but just achieving that from all the hard work I put in and just basically getting everything I put into the sport back out. I don’t want everything I have put in to be a waste of time. It also means I can be an example to young people and be an example to my son and my other family members as well. That is more important to than anything. Obviously the money is always lovely isn’t it.’

What has given you the most pride so far as a boxer?

‘As a boxer I would just say not one thing in particular but my improvements and how far I have come, just basically sticking through the hard times of boxing because there has been plenty of times where you not only have battles in the ring but also mental ones. Sitting at home wondering what am I doing? But once you can get through that and the mental stuff you can do get through anything.’

Who has been your biggest inspiration in your career?

‘Wow that is a great one, you know what I would have to say my past rather a physical person. I am not sure if that answers the question but my past is my drive, where I have come from is my drive and that is what keeps me going. I don’t want to go back there.’

Do you want to give a shout out to anyone?

‘Yeah I would like to give a big shout out to Pimlico Merchants, Pimlico Plumbers and also my boxing gym Churchills. They have given me so much support and am so grateful for it.’

If you would like to see Darren in action then get in touch with Darren himself on social media on twitter @DarrenGibbons_ or his PR agent @CM_Boxing for tickets, he is next fighting this Saturday 15th December at the iconic small hall home of boxing York Hall on the British Warriors promoted show.

If his drive in life is even 50% of the drive he puts into boxing then it will be a pleasure to witness this mans career.