Sam Hickey: “This time next year, I want to be knocking on the door for some belts and bringing a big fight to Scotland.”
By Matt Elliott
Scotland has produced its fair share of successful boxers over the years. From the late, great Ken Buchanan becoming the undisputed lightweight champion, to Ricky Burns winning world honours across three weight classes, to the most recent example of Josh Taylor collecting all the belts at light-welterweight, there are countless examples of Scottish boxers plying their trade at the highest level of the sport. Now, there is a new breed of talent emerging with Sam Hickey ready to lead this generation of stars.
Hickey has already ensured a lasting legacy after huge success as an amateur. He won bronze at the 2022 European championships, becoming the first Scottish athlete in sixteen years to win a senior medal, before taking gold at the Commonwealth Games just a few months later. Hickey then set out to qualify for the Paris Olympics, only to see the 75kg weight category removed from the programme, resulting in him missing out on selection and left considering his next move. He decided it was time to join the professional ranks, and back in October, he made his debut on the undercard of Adam Azim and Ohara Davies, fighting at middleweight and impressing in a shut-out win against John Henry Mosquera. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that he had signed a long-term promotional deal with Boxxer.
After a whirlwind few months, I caught up with Hickey via Zoom this past week and started by asking him about his decision to turn over and whether, looking back, he had any regrets about not doing so in 2022 following his European and Commonwealth achievements.
“Absolutely not. Straight after that, I decided I wasn’t going to turn over and forget about the Olympics because I’d regret it, and I thought to myself what’s a two-year difference going to make? Perhaps my name was a bit hotter at that point, but it didn’t matter because I’ll get to where I am going regardless, so I’m glad I did it the way I did. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be but the situation tested me, it’s a different lesson and it put me in a good position to turn professional now, realising that not everything will go your way and that things in life will not always work out as you expect. I’d had it in my head since I was about nine or ten that I wanted to go to the Olympics and box for my country since watching the likes of AJ, Luke Campbell and Josh Taylor compete, but it is what it is. It’s built me up better in a way because you are going to go through a lot of things in life and sport, and you need to be prepared for it, and this whole experience has taught me a few things.”
Having made his exit from Team GB, Hickey did not sever ties completely. As he transitioned across to the professional game, he was looking for a world-class coach to work alongside and who better than the longstanding Performance Director of GB Boxing, Rob McCracken, someone Hickey has worked closely with over the last couple of years and who played a pivotal role in the careers of both Anthony Joshua and Carl Froch. When that opportunity presented itself, was it an easy decision to make?
“It was when I knew he’d work with me, as he doesn’t work with a lot of fighters. When he told me he would train me, it was a no-brainer for me because he’s been there and done it. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, when he talks you listen, so it’s the best thing for me to have him train and manage me and help guide my career. Having been based in Sheffield with GB, Rob’s been helping me for a while now and I’ve always had a good relationship with him, so it’s great to stay here and work with him and the other coaches around the setup. They are all good people and it’s a great atmosphere in the gym. I get to help out the amateurs with sparring when they need it, and they help me out as well. There are some great pro gyms around Sheffield as well, so I’m happy to still be based here.”
One of the main differences between competing as an amateur and the professional scene is the time between fights. As a successful amateur, Hickey was jumping from one tournament to another, but he had to remain patient as he waited to make his pro debut. He remained in the gym throughout to ensure he was ready when the call came, but after being used to regular activity, had it been a frustrating period?
“It did test me a bit, to be honest, because I wanted to get out earlier. I wanted to fight and needed to fight, but things kept falling through, and there have not been as many dates in the UK this year for boxing as well, which hasn’t helped. As soon as I got the chance to fight in October, I took it, and I just wanted to perform and show everyone what I was all about.”
I was fortunate to be at ringside for Hickey’s debut, a four-round contest that he coasted through, displaying glimpses of what we can expect from him moving forward. How does Hickey reflect back on the fight?
“At the time, I was happy to get the win, but when I got back to the dressing room, I was a bit frustrated. I thought he might come for me a bit more because he’s given a few guys problems in the past, so I thought he might be a bit livelier, and that’s when I’ll be at my best, when opponents open up a bit more, which will come as I move through the levels. Some guys make mistakes when they fight an opponent like that, but I thought I was more than comfortable, and I didn’t make the mistake of rushing in and getting caught, so overall it was a good night’s work.”
A couple of weeks later, Boxxer officially announced that Hickey had signed a long-term promotional deal with them, ensuring that his immediate future would see him fight on Sky Sports. With his amateur pedigree, there would have been no shortage of suitors, so what was it that persuaded him Boxxer were the right partner for him at this stage of his career?
“Looking at some of the other stars they’ve signed like Lauren Price and Callum Simpson, and how they’ve built them both in Wales and Barnsley respectively, really appealed to me. From speaking with Ben, they are focused on putting fights on in Scotland, and that’s where I ultimately want to be. There’s the Sky Sports angle as well. It’s a huge platform, and it provides great exposure. If they can bring shows up to Dundee or Glasgow, then headlining those in the future is what I’m in the sport for.”
At twenty-four years old, with a glittering amateur career behind him, and now embarking on what promises to be an exciting pro journey, Hickey has come a long way since he first persuaded his dad to take him to the gym at the age of just nine in his hometown of Dundee. So, how and why did he first get involved in the sport?
“I always remember my dad had a set of pads and gloves at home, as he did a bit of training when he was younger. I was playing football at the time, but I wanted to do what my dad did and asked if he could take me to the gym with him. I first asked when I was about seven or eight, so I was too young, but then I remember him telling me I was going up to the club, and I went there and just stuck at it. It was Lochee Boys Club in Dundee, which is where I boxed for all of my amateur career. I was at school just around the corner, and it was about a five – or ten-minute drive away from home, a great club with great coaches. At around the age of sixteen, I went to the Europeans and won a medal, and I realised I must be ok at this, and from that point onwards I just stuck all of my eggs in one basket and went for it. Amateur boxing is tough, you know, especially when you are a kid, you don’t always get the decisions, and you are going onto other clubs’ home shows and are involved in some close fights. I was on the wrong end of a few decisions that could’ve gone either way, and that dented my confidence slightly, so when I got a bit older and started winning things, that made a huge difference and I thought I’ll have a real go at this, and then I started winning tournaments abroad and major medals and that made a huge difference.”
One of the benefits of sport in general, but especially amateur boxing, is the ability to travel the world and experience countries that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Having boxed for Scotland from a young age, Hickey has clocked up his fair share of air miles. How enjoyable were those experiences and what lessons has he taken from them?
“I was about fourteen when I got taken to France for a training camp, which was my first experience of going abroad for boxing, and ever since then I’ve travelled all over the world and been to some really nice places and had some great moments. The amateurs are probably the most enjoyable time of your career because you are travelling the world without any real worries. You are not too concerned about getting beaten. That only really matters in the major tournaments, so you can just get in there and enjoy the experience. Everything is sorted for you as well. You are just told to turn up at the airport with your passport. Now, as a professional, if I want to go on a training camp tomorrow, I need to sort everything, so you are spoilt as a top-class amateur, and you deserve it as you’re one of the best in the country, and you’ve put yourself in that position, but a lot of kids do take it for granted.”
The culmination of Hickey’s journey from a fresh-faced nine-year-old entering the gym for the first time, to a seasoned amateur came in the spring and summer of 2022, when he competed and won medals at three major tournaments. He had to overcome setbacks along the way, losing to Lewis Richardson in the European semi-finals before avenging that defeat on the way to winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which was the crowning moment of a fantastic year.
“It was a great year. I went to the under-22 Europeans first and picked up a bronze medal before heading to the seniors. The whole year I’d had injuries and frustrations, but it all came together at the Commonwealths. I’m glad everything happened as it did because you want to win everything, but it worked out for the best because you need to lose to learn. When I got to Birmingham, I was on fire, boxing really well. It wasn’t just one fight where I was on it. It was the whole tournament. I was enjoying the moment. My timing and confidence were right, and I made sure I absorbed everything and enjoyed the crowds. That’s why I’m buzzing to turn over and have everyone watching and supporting me because I feel like I take the energy from them. Some boxers overthink things, but I feel like you just need to enjoy it and put a smile on your face because fighting is the easy bit, it’s the training that’s tough, so it’s important to soak it all in.”
Back to the present day, and with his debut under his belt, I concluded our chat by asking Hickey what a perfect 2025 would look like.
“This time next year, I want to be knocking on the door for some belts and bringing a big fight to Scotland, either for a title or a big homecoming. I think that would be great for me and the country, having a new breed of Scottish fighters coming through and bringing big nights back up here. I remember growing up watching Ricky Burns fighting in the Braehead Arena and fighting up here regularly, and that’s important to me to get as many fights as possible up here.”
Photo Credit: Boxxer
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