AT a time when a global pandemic has shut down all forms of the sport, a boxer leaving the security of the GB squad would be forgiven for having some concern. But Carl Fail is moving on and staying resolutely positive.
โWhen youโve been there long enough, you know when itโs time to leave. I spoke to Rob [McCracken, GBโs performance director] and I spoke to a few of the coaches and I knew it was my time to leave. There was no bad feelings or anything. Me and Rob both agreed it was a good time and my brother turning professional as well, it feels like the right thing to do,โ Carl told Boxing News. โYou canโt look at the negatives because that will just bring you down. You have to stay positive no matter what. Thatโs what I do, I try to stay positive and I try to keep moving forward.โ
With the coronavirus lockdown shutting gyms down and prohibiting events, his future plans for going pro will also have to be placed on hold for the time being. But he is in lockdown with twin brother Ben Fail, another skilled boxer, and the two are working together. โWeโve got each other to keep us focused. Weโre training with each other,โ Carl said. โWeโre doing pads with each other, weโre running with each other.โ
While they do padwork together, the twins have not sparred for years and do not intend to start now. โThereโs so many people in the world to fight, heโs the last person Iโd want to fight. We donโt really like hitting each other. Iโve got so many people to spar, we donโt need to spar each other,โ Carl said. โProbably four years ago was our last spar. I remember we were sparring, and I was throwing loads of shots. Ben just hit me with an uppercut and he put his hands down and went, โI donโt want to do this anymore.โ That was the last time.โ
Ultimately the Fail twins do plan to fight alongside one another as professionals. โMe and my brother are itching to get out now. We want to make a big statement on the professional scene and weโre really looking forward to it. I think weโre going to as well, Iโm feeling good about it,โ Carl reflected. โMy brother, I think heโs going to open a few eyes, ever since he was a kid, heโs been knocking people out. Heโs got a big punch and I think as an amateur he hasnโt be able to display it as much as he will as a pro. I think everyoneโs going to see his full potential. Both of us, weโve both got the ability to get to the top.โ
Carl has beaten the likes of Ekow Essuman, in an intense ABA final, and Kieron Conway on the domestic amateur scene. โHe [Conway] drew with Ted Cheeseman [for the British title]. I have boxed a few of these fighters and Iโm looking forward to going and stirring the pot a bit and making some noise,โ Fail said. โItโs going to be fun.โ
His hopes of joining that light-middle mix, of course, will be delayed. โI think itโs important not just for me but for all the boxers to stay positive and stay focused. Thatโs what weโre just trying to do at the minute,โ he said.
Fail does have impressive amateur highlights on his resume. โI moved up to middleweight as an amateur, it wasnโt because I was struggling at the weight, it was because of the opportunity. John Docherty turned over and Ben Whittaker moved up. Obviously there was Pat McCormack at welterweight. I was still doing well at welter but he was obviously number one in the world at the minute. Being educated, I knew my weight wasnโt at middle but I knew my ability could keep up with the boys up there. So I thought Iโd give it a go. I moved up. I done alright. I felt like I didnโt reach my full potential like I could have done at 69kgs but I felt like I done well,โ Fail said. โIโd seen an opportunity and Iโd something I was going to get at middleweight, which I wasnโt going to get at welter, so I went for it.
โWhen I first moved up I think I was only weighing 71 or 72 kilos. I won the European Union silver medal. I boxed four real good kids in that. I had a really tough draw. I boxed the Italian, I think he was the number three in the world [Salvatore Cavallaro], I boxed a real strong Spanish fighter and then I boxed Michael Nevinโฆ I got to the finals of that, which I think not many people expected. After that it was a bit of a rocky road, it was up and down. I was winning some, I was not getting the decision when I thought I should have in some others. It was good.โ
He took part in the quasi pro league the World Series of Boxing, winning his first five round bout and losing to Kazakhstanโs Aslanbek Shymbergenov in Almaty. That though was plunging right into the deep end of international boxing. โI was fighting a European good international level, the best in Europe and then it kind jumped straight from there to one of the best in the world,โ Fail said. โIโd fight anybody. I said yes straightaway.
โI felt like I got a lot of respect off the coaches as well after that. It showed that I wasnโt scared of anyone. I came out of the ring, they said, โYou ainโt got no quit in you have you?โ And I ainโt. Iโve always said Iโd die in that ring before Iโd quit.โ
โAlthough I didnโt get the opportunity for the Olympics and stuff, itโs been nothing but a positive for me,โ he reflects. โYou just have to hope for the best and train your best and train your hardest and see what happens.
โIโm looking forward to taking it all to the professional ranks now and giving the big boys some hell.โ