David Birmingham has announced he’s hanging up his gloves after this month’s fight in Havant.
Birmingham is matched with Jamie Speight on Michael Ballingall’s show on Saturday, June 29 and at 38, he’s decided the time is right to quit fighting.
The former Portsmouth and Bournemouth player said: “I’ve had two cracks at the Southern Area title that didn’t go my way and I know that I’m always going to be getting in there with lads of 22 and 23 and it’s time to call it a day.
“I have enjoyed the last four years, but the time is right for me to bow out.
“If you had told me when I turned professional that I would get two shots at the Southern Area title, I would have laughed.
“But Michael (Ballingall) got me sparring good lads like Lucas Ballingall and Michael McKinson and I improved.”
Birmingham says he intends to stay in boxing as a coach and has ruled out a return to playing football.
He helps his brother, Michael, with the fitness of the players he manages at Horndean FC, but says his future is in boxing.
“Boxing is a lonely sport, not like football,” he said. “I enjoyed the buzz of boxing, but it’s a dangerous sport.
“There’s a lot on the line when you get in the boxing ring and you haven’t got any team mates to help you out if you’re having a bad night.”
Birmingham has had more good nights than bad nights in his ring career and promises his many supporters a night to remember in Havant.
He said: “I have always had good support in my boxing career and I’m hoping everyone will turn out again and enjoy an absolute war !
“This is my last ever fight and I’m going to leave it all in the ring.”
PEREZ
Wandsworth super-welterweight Ramon Perez is going to be big in Japan!
The 31 year old targets a fourth straight win on Mickey Helliet’s show at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on Saturday, June 22 – and will have has backers in Japan cheering him on.
Perez has landed a sponsorship deal with Sun Chorella, a Japanese superfood company, and said: “I’m going to be on billboards in Japan and do commercials.
“A friend of mine runs a company called Wellfinity and they said these were the best company for me to have as sponsors.
“Their product is all about having a healthy body, mind and spirit.”
Perez is busy. As well as training for his next fight with Winston Fuller at Balham Boxing Club and working as the head of sales at the BXR Luxury Health Club on Baker Street, he is also preparing to become a father again.
Wife Lucy is set to give birth to a boy next month, a younger brother for six year-old Noah.
“My family give me purpose,” said Perez. “When I have to dig deep, they give me the inspiration I need to dig deep.
“Every fight I’ve had there’s been something going on behind the scenes. I’ve hurt my hand before fights and had injuries – and now I’ve got a heavily pregnant wife to think of.
“I’m not here to be a tough guy. I’m here to get as far as I can and put some money away. I see a lot of former champions who are left with nothing because they didn’t have a Plan B – and that won’t be me. I have my goals in boxing, but I also have Plan B, C and D.”
