Middleweight prospect Ste Clarke has only benefited from sharing ‘invaluable’ rounds with the likes of Callum Smith, Liam Smith and Caoimhin Agyarko.
We are often told that ‘sparring is sparring’, and that, because of this, it is hardly worth speaking about any behind-closed-doors encounter.
But when a young fighter, like Clarke, has moved around with former world champions such as the Smith brothers, as well as a world-ranked contender like Agyarko, their career suddenly becomes a little more intriguing.
Speaking with Boxing News, Clarke insists that his sparring with Callum and Liam Smith, in particular, has allowed him to enter each fight with an extra layer of confidence.
“As an amateur, I sparred with Liam a couple times, and I’ve shared a few rounds with Callum in the pros.
“It’s invaluable experience and they’re always speaking to you after, giving you pointers, so it’s great to have that type of support around you.
“I wouldn’t say I got the better of them [he jokes] but it does obviously give you confidence, because your opponent’s not going to be as good as them [at this level].”
Still in the development phase of his career, Clarke will enter his ninth professional outing on the undercard of Nick Ball’s WBA featherweight title defence against Brandon Figueroa this Saturday.
Ordinarily, the 24-year-old shares a gym with Agyarko, training under the tutelage of former world title challenger Stephen Smith, and while, for this particular camp, the Belfast man has not been available for sparring, Clarke nonetheless looks forward to the day when he, like Agyarko, is sitting on the cusp of a major opportunity.
“Caoimhin’s got a fight [against Brandon Adams] in April and he’s only just [come back to the gym], so I haven’t been able to do any rounds with him for this camp.
“I’ve done rounds with him before, and obviously I’m in the gym training alongside him, so it’s great experience because I think you become your environment.
“If he can achieve it, I can achieve it, so hopefully one day I’ll be in a position like he is.”
While such ambitions remain instrumental to a fighter’s progression, Clarke, for now, must continue to refine his craft at a steady pace.
In a year or so down the line, though, the Liverpudlian is likely to start challenging for domestic titles, perhaps even against one of his former amateur foes.
A rubber match with English middleweight champion Jimmy Sains, and an opportunity to exact his revenge on Joel Bartell – who holds the Southern Area title – are two potential options, for the future, that would certainly capture the interest of Clarke.
“Those fights excite me; I’d 100% be up for them in the future.
“They’ll be good fights for the middleweight division, maybe for the English, British… Who knows what title?
“It was one a piece with Jimmy and then Joel Bartell beat me, but I thought I nicked it.”
Perhaps Clarke will have the opportunity to settle their score down the line, but first, he must extend his unblemished record against Lewis Howells at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.
