New pro duo ready to punch for pay at Walsall
New professional boxing duo Des Bowater and Tom Stokes today insisted the time is right to punch for pay as they prepare for their debuts next week.
The two boxed for Wodensborough ABC as amateurs and will ditch the head-guards and vests for the first time at Walsall Town Hall next Friday night.
Wolverhampton's Bowater, a 21-year-old super featherweight from Wednesfield, has reached the last two Midlands finals in the senior ABA competition.
In 2012, he and his opponent Sukjeevan Brar were both disqualified for persistent rule-breaking, before he lost a split decision to Jordan Cooke earlier this year.
That convinced him to leave the amateur ranks and tough Scot Michael Stupart will be his first test, but Bowater is convinced he will ultimately conquer the world.
He said: "I enjoyed being an amateur but I got fed up of being on the wrong end of bad decisions, to be honest.
"It happened to me two years running in amateur finals and I have reached a stage where I want to move on from that.
"When I was amateur I was starting to lose a bit of interest but, now, I have got a bit of the grit and desire back.
"My ambition is a world title, 100 per cent. I think I'm capable of it."
Stokes, a welterweight from West Bromwich, will pit his wits against wily veteran Bheki Moyo, a South African-born Londoner.
The 18-year-old is the younger brother of Josh, another Wodensbrough ABC fighter, who won a junior ABA national title in 2011.
He said: "I was just ready to move away from the amateur game. It's a dream to turn pro on such a big night of boxing.
"I'm training hard at the moment. I'm a little nervous but that's to be expected. It's a dream to turn pro on such a big night of boxing.
"Bheki Moyo is an experienced opponent, so it's a good first test for me."
Walsall's Martin Gethin, the British lightweight champion, tops the bill in a IBF world title final eliminator against Panama's Ammeth Diaz.
Tickets for the show, called 'Ready To Silence The World' are priced at £40 and £75 and are available from Walsall Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900.
The show will also be live and exclusive on BoxNation on Sky Channel 437 and Virgin Channel 546. Join at www.boxnation.com.
