Richards swaps street fighting for the ring (From Swindon Advertiser)

Richards swaps street fighting for the ring

7:00am Friday 16th December 2011 in Boxing

BOXING has often provided a vehicle for people to turn their lives around and Luke Richards, who has his ring baptism at the MECA on Friday night, aptly illustrates how the sport can do this.

By his own admission, the 19-year-old light welterweight had hit the self-destruct button having become embroiled in the gang and drug culture of his native Liverpool.

Richards said: “There was only one way I was going and that was downhill with the prospect of prison not too far away.

“I was in a dark place and was desperately in need of rescue.”

His father Robbie had lived in Swindon for some time and brought his son to live with him in Wiltshire.

But there was a need for more than a place of refuge, something that could consume all his energy was the additional requirement.

An approach to retired white collar fighter Dean Mayo, 38, was made by Richards senior to see if he could help and he was surprised at what he found.

Mayo said: “Luke proved to be a real revelation when he first put on the gloves just four weeks ago, he was such a natural boxer.

Richards added: “I’d never boxed before, not even as a schoolboy.

“My only experience with my fists was on the streets in disputes between gangs. Meeting Dean has transformed my life, channelling all my energy into something positive.”

Now Richards faces Robbie Burton – an ex-soldier from Chippenham - in his debut this evening.

Elsewhere on the bill, close friends Paul Payne and Gav Towler-Wilson have been inadvertently matched against each other on the Neilson Promotions show.

Both fighters had separately agreed to fight on the bill for promoter and matchmaker Mark Neilson, who said: “I was comparing records and experience of all of my available fighters and thought these two would make a match, so I spoke to both of them individually. “Paul had some MMA experience and Gav had boxed in the army so I told them of each other’s stats without giving names at that stage and both agreed.

“I told Paul Payne his opponent’s name, it went quiet for a minute and Payney said, ‘you’re kidding, he’s a mate of mine, I was out with him last week’. Paul then said he’d fight him anyway.” Both fighters then discussed it and agreed to put their friendship aside on the night and get it on inside the ring.

Other fights include Swindon’s former MMA heavyweight Dave 'Bam Bam' Gregory meeting Trowbridge’s big-hitting Luke Martin. Another local MMA heavyweight, Rich Loveday, faces Sean Curran and Jake Bonner fights John Jennings in an eagerly-awaited rematch.

Other fights include Lee Penny versus Alan Harris, Mark Johnson versus Marcin Janecki, Aiden Hills versus Neil Pickering and Luke Boswell versus Arfan Khan.

Promoter Neilson said: “We’re keeping the price as low as we can at only £20 a ticket, while still putting on as many fights as we can, as we appreciate it is tough times for fight fans.”

Doors open at 7:30pm until late. Tickets are available from MECA For more information, email events@neilsonpromotions.co.uk or call 07005 100 135.