Brad Pauls exclusive: I didn’t get here by accident
Brad Pauls accomplished a lifetime ambition when he stopped Nathan Heaney to win the British middleweight title in July.
Pauls didn’t rest on his laurels. He didn’t campaign for a lucrative, straightforward first defence. Pauls ran headlong towards one of the toughest challenges available.
On Saturday night, Pauls will defend his title against the dangerous two-time champion, Denzel Bentley. But as prestigious as that title is, there is so much more on the line. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
The vacant European title has also been added to the pot whilst Hamzah Sheeraz’s decision to take a fight with WBC champion, Carlos Adames, means that the winner is almost certain to get a shot at the WBO world title next year. Pauls sits at number two in the WBO rankings whilst Bentley is ranked number one.
“I don’t plan on giving it up so easy”
“I’ve wanted this for years and I didn’t get here by accident and it was so hard to get here. I don’t plan on giving it up so easy,” Pauls told 32Red.
“It’s a weird one because it’s sort of defending what I’ve got, but then getting a lot more than I’ve got at the same time so I’m coming in as the champion but there’s that challengers mentality still for myself.”
Pauls is one of a growing number of British fighters who have battled their way to the top after starting at the very bottom. The 31-year-old knows all about selling his own tickets to ensure that he can fight and keeping that hope and belief that, one day, his time would arrive.
Now he is the British champion and just a step away from challenging for a world title belt, he is thankful for the character building traits those tough times drilled into him but doesn’t want to go back.
“No golden ticket straight to a promoter. A lot of us started on the small hall and worked our way up,” he said.
“I love being a champion”
“There must be something in that formula that works because you take your time and develop as a pro and then it comes to fruition at the right time. The Queensberry lot are smashing it at the minute with their fighters and it’s good to be a part of it.
“I absolutely, absolutely love it [being a champion]. I’ve wanted it for years, and it took a while to sink in. It was a bit overwhelming at first but, before you know it, you’re back fighting again. You can enjoy it for a little bit but then it’s back to work at those times.”
Pauls knows the scale of the task he faces this weekend. He has sparred countless rounds with Bentley and has seen him lay waste to a number of British opponents. Pauls, however, holds a win over Nathan Heaney – the man who took Bentley’s British title last November – and carries legitimate power himself.
He believes that whoever comes through next weekend’s fight will deserve a shot at the title and is preparing to put himself through hell to get it.
“That belt’s on the line”
“There’s no handouts, no favours. It doesn’t matter if I’m a champion or not,” he said.
“Come and fight, that belt’s on the line but, like I said, I still feel like a challenger. Denzel’s, I’d say, more proven than me. He’s fought at a higher level. He’s a former two-time British champion so there’s more to gain than there is to lose. So, yeah, it’s that challenger mentality again.
“We both hit hard, we’ve both got power. We can both box a bit. I know Denzel’s tough and he’s not going to pack it in. I know I’m tough and I’m not going to pack it in.
“So I think the styles will gel and the winner deserves the shot as well.”
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