Bryce Goodridge reckons that in 115 amateur bouts and two professional fights, he’s barely taken a punch.
So slippery is Goodridge, he’s been nicknamed ‘Hard to Hit’ – by his opponents !
“I would talk to my opponents after fights and they all seemed to say the same thing,” said the 28 year old from Basingstoke who turned pro after winning the Elite championship last year.
“They tell me I’m awkward and hard to hit. I would rather hear that after a fight than : ‘You’ve got a good chin, you’re really tough.’
“I’ve had 115 amateurs and two pro fights and I’ve never been down. I think most boxers who had that many fights would have been on the canvas or taken some big shots. But I haven’t.”
The reason Goodridge is so hard to hit is his size.
He’s 6ft 6ins tall – and campaigns at light-heavyweight.
He weighed just 12st 6 lbs for his last fight, a points win over Lewis van Poetsch in June, and expects to scale something similar for his fight in Bournemouth on Saturday, September 21.
Whoever Goodridge faces, it’s likely to be a tough night.
He said: “I’ve been a lot taller than my first two opponents and I imagine that will be the case throughout my career.
“I know how to use my height and reach. I’ve won every round so far as a professional and not taken many punches. I’m keeping them on the end of my punches.
“I make a lot of my opponents miss and fall over.
“I’ve had so many fights where my opponent has committed thinking I’m there to be hit and then I move and they end up stumbling all over the place or looking out of the ring.
“I’m good at making them miss – and sometimes by a long distance !”
Goodridge learned his skills in the amateur ring.
Joshua Buatsi and Lindon Arthur are among those who were unable to dent him in the Elite championship.
As an amateur, Goodridge campaigned from 81kgs up to 91kgs, but insists making 12st 7lbs for professional fights is no problem.
“I would only have a few days’ notice for some amateur bouts,” he said, “but now I get a month to make the weight.
“I’ve got a slim build and I do it comfortably.”