The 29-year-old bantamweight admits it is ‘now or never’
Hull boxer Ryan Gibbons
Ryan Gibbons didn’t want to spend the rest of his life wondering what if? And so, seven years after his fourth and final fight as a professional boxer, the Hull bantamweight steps back in the ring on Saturday night to see just where an old path will actually take him.
A former national amateur champion, Gibbons is from good boxing stock having learnt his trade under the stewardship of father and head of City of Hull Boxing Club, Mike Gibbons. Life in the pros produced four wins from four contests, but his first time round was not as simple as that suggests.
Those four fights came in two years, which is not the sort of return an aspiring young boxer needs. There were some unfortunate injuries, but that lack of opportunity for regular action brought a short-term step away to focus on a new job opportunity. Before he knew it, that short term step away became seven years and the 22-year-old young pro became a 29-year-old man.
“After my last fight in 2019 I took some time out to focus on my job, which is what I needed to do at the time,” explains Gibbons, who will again step out in the bantamweight division.
“That step away ended in me calling it a day. Then, the last couple of years I got back involved in the gym helping out and I got my spark back.
“This is now or never for me to have one last crack at this and to see how far I can go. I think there’s a central area title fight for me down the line, maybe an English title, possibly the British, but we’ve a three year plan and the focus for now is this first fight back.”
That three year plan has been put together with his team, but also with new promoter Curtis Woodhouse, whose show Gibbons fights on this Saturday.
The former British champion and professional footballer has turned promoter and is staging his first show at Connexin Live on Saturday night, with Gibbons’ bout against Glasgow’s Hugh Gillespie one of 12 fights on a massive card that includes the likes of local talent Lewis Sylvester, Adrian King, Harry Powell and Ted Jackson.
“Curtis is putting his money where his mouth is and he’s building a good stable of fighters,” adds Gibbons, who is joined on the show by City of Hull stablemate Harry Edgecumbe.
“He’s got plans for regular shows in Hull and that’s what we need to help grow things, we need this events in Hull.
“I’m excited to get back out there again and to take these first steps. I’m looking forward to seeing where this next few years goes.”