A Closer Look at Bradley Skeete
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
As I sit and write this, Scott Quigg is no doubt sitting somewhere wondering what might have been, had he not fractured his foot and made weight. The possibilities may not be, but we have weight categories for a reason. No matter how much bulk fighters can add to themselves once the scales have been put away there are rules and rules are rules.
Right now, in the UK the two red hot divisions are heavyweight thanks to Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and the rest as well as the super middleweights with Groves, DeGale and Smith. We do not lack for some kind of superstar for either category.
It leaves the rest of the weight categories smiling in the glow of their sunshine but wanting the reflected glory to shine on their star too…
Stars are made in the small halls and it is in there that people see the legends that impress me. It is by watching fighters fighting people close to their own abilities that you can hear the audience scream and the winner’s fan base get bigger.
I am always a fan but also, because of this role, a potential critic.
Recently I have been looking over the merits and not so meritorious exploits of those in the welterweight division. In here we have one guy lurking who is disciplined, hot and a bit of a minor legend because of his exploits in lesser shows, and his dedication to a sport that ought to bring him riches financially but will be more likely to bring him admiration and plaudits than mansions and sport cars.
Bradley Skeete, 27-1, 12 KO’s, the current British welterweight champion and best welterweight in the UK right now, made his professional debut 8 years ago and since then has seen many a foot go wrong – just not always inside the ring.
Hi domestic rise was almost text book. Winning an area title, then an English title and then taking a WBA intercontinental title against the tough Christopher Sebire saw him skew a little to the left in his rise to the top.
Having defended his WBA belt he then found himself facing Frankie Gavin, the tarnished golden boy of British boxing; the world amateur champion who does not seem that fussed about a professional career. The fight went the distance and Skeete suffered his first professional loss on a unanimous decision that brought more shaking heads to the table than nodding ones.
European honors were then to follow as Skeete beat Anzor Gambgebeli for the WBO European welterweight title. He was able to defend that title not once but twice.
The problem Skeete had, was that in a division filled with “names” in the UK, he was not that fashionable. An honest pro with a good skill set he was just not seen by many as the guy who would produce world honors and also drag in the crowds. So, when he was announced as the opponent for Sam Eggington, a guy with similar standing and reputation, in 2016, many predicted he would come a cropper and this was to be him providing Eggington with a platform; how wrong they were.
Skeete produced a masterful performance and put Eggington, who was the darling of the ghettos in the UK, back into the box from whence he came.
Since then he has defended his British title three times and is now the proud owner of the British belt as three wins after winning the darn thing, you get to keep it!
They have been impressive wins.
His WBO European belt has also been defended and his next fight, in Bilbao, Spain in 2018 sees him take on Kerman Lejarraga, 24-0, an undefeated fighter in the next stage of his journey.
When shall he be built into the guy who should be battling Thurman, Spence, JR. or Horn?
What about Amir Khan? The almost forgotten man of the ring might not fancy such a successful domestic rival but a fight between them both would help their world level ambitions – of course for the winner.
Skeete almost got to fight Jeff Horn but the Australian team took on what proved to be the easier fight by allowing Gary Corcoran to share a ring with Horn; Horn topped him in the 11th.
Skeete can lay claim to being the best at welterweight in the UK because he has beaten all the guys around him, has been the British champion since 2015 and European champ since 2014. His story is one that shows that winning belts, being champion and not ducking a fight does not necessarily bring rewards. 2018 should catapult him, later in the year, into a world title contention – surely?
If it does not then it will show us that his exploits are not being treasured the way they should be – of course he has a European defence in April first, then watch that space…
[si-contact-form form=’2′]