Ringside Report Takes a Closer Look at Boxer Anthony Fowler – Boxing News

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

A lot Was expected of the professional career of Anthony Fowler, 16-2, 12 KO’s. “The Machine” had fallen short at the Olympics in Rio when he faced Zhanibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan in the first round. But he was a bronze medalist from the 2013 World Championships and a 2014 Commonwealth gold medalist.

During that stellar amateur career, he had represented the UK, in the World Series of Boxing with some very notable fights – against Zhou Di, when it was stopped with a huge gash on Fowler’s head, against Said Harnouf, when that gash opened up again and against Misael Rodriguez when a split decision win, meant he never lost in a Lionheart contest.

It set up expectations for his professional career which he never managed to quite achieve, not through any lack of ability, but it could be argued that circumstances, opportunities and domestic challenges within the boxing world halted what could have been and turned it into what it was.

Given the ability he showed in the amateurs, his rise in the pro ranks was expected to be rapid. The hype around former Olympians in the UK was beginning to build – even those without a medal. We had watched him come through four fights to get his bronze at the world championships, then battling in hostile domestic territory, when, as an Englishman he beat the Scot Kieran Smith on the way to Commonwealth gold in 2014 – with five contests won to get there. His fights in the WSB – an unbeaten run for the British Lionhearts raised those expectations, as these were technically difficult fights. Having fought over 200 times under the amateur code, and with an apparent 190 wins, Fowler was made for the boxing fraternity looking for the next big thing.

And so, on the 7th of May 2017, on the Kell Brook/Errol Spence undercard Fowler made his debut, with a 1st round knockout of Arturs Geikins, in massive stadium event in Brammall lane, Sheffield. It was some stage, and some arrival.

Progress within the professional ranks, though expected was always going to be tough, not least because other professional boxers who did not manage to get to the Olympics and were decent honest professional sports people felt that the red carpet should not always be laid out for the pampered and well supported Olympians. In 2019, on the 30th of March, at his hometown Echo Arena, Liverpool, Fowler found himself facing a spicy contest with Scott Fitzgerald where the opportunity for Fitzgerald to stake his own claim was well and truly taken – Fitzgerald knocked Fowler to the floor in the 10th, had taken three attempts to make weight, got a split decision win and would have offered another spicy fight in a rematch – but Fitzgerald imploded and found himself in prison rather than a ring. It halted a six-fight winning streak for Fowler. Having found that life in the professionals was not as sweet as life had been in the with a split decision loss, which was tough on him, it was the first indication that he might have some difficulty in fulfilling his promise. Domestically, Fowler was someone who should be challenging and winning national titles, even into the realm of Commonwealth and European titles as promoters and others talked of a world level fighter.

In August the same year he took on a veteran of the sport in Brian Rose, a very well respected fighter, in Liverpool and won a fairly comfortable contest – his streak was back and now he was ready for the next level.

However, Fowler though a highly articulate and bright prospect was never fooled by the sport and you could see him adjusting, readjusting and thinking about his life outside of the ring as well as life in it. Despite being held at domestic level Fowler was making plans and taking the money he was making and investing it wisely.

But in 2021, Jorge Fortea was faced, a number 15 ranked IBF super welterweight who Fowler got out of there in 3 rounds in the Wembley Arena on the 20th of March: now people started to think that Fowler could reach that potential of being in a ring for a world title.

Later that year, on the 9th of October, Liam Smith – one of the famous Liverpudlian Smith brothers – was tempted into the ring with Fowler and any thoughts of reaching beyond domestic level were laid waste as Smith stopped Fowler in 8 rounds.

Fowler, though he did not know it yet, was one fight away from retirement. Meanwhile all that planning clearly took on new significance. Fowler had created a CBD company from scratch, and it was taking hold. The idea of selling a product with cannabis in it was one that most scoffed at when Fowler began it but now it is mainstream. Fowler was bright enough to spot potential and make a hefty commitment. He was also buying property to do up and sell at a profit and when he made the decision to retire this year spoke of how that was now occupying more of his time than boxing – given how dedicated he was to training, that is saying something.

And so, at the 02 Arena, Greenwich, London, Fowler delivered a points win against Lukasz Maciec in a dominant win which preceded, 14 months later, his retirement. Not only the businesses which were doing well, helped ease the decision but the new family he had created and was now doting on, meant his appetite for the ringcraft was diminished – seriously.

And whilst the promise was never realized with titles and belts, the delivery of a man who was dedicated to his sport, managed to provide talking points and success leaves the sport fully aware of what day it is – and that can be nothing but a damn fine legacy for him and his family.

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