YORK’S Brad Casey recently signed a managerial deal with former world champ Sunny Edwards, and he is still looking at who he will sign up with as far as a promotional outfit. The 20-year-old cruiserweight achieved plenty as an amateur, with Casey winning, amongst other things, a gold medal at the Haringey Box Cup. Casey had 60 amateur bouts, none of which he lost when boxing at senior level.
But Casey has long since felt his fighting style is far more suited to the pro game, and that he absolutely sees himself as a world champion of the future – “otherwise I wouldn’t be doing this,” he said.
Speaking with Boxing News after a training session, the gym-mate of touted heavyweight Leo Atang (“my best mate”) had the following things to say about his career and the future.
You are now managed by Sunny Edwards, and you are trained by Ashley Martin?
“Yeah, Sunny’s my manager now, and Ash is my trainer, and I couldn’t be happier as far as my team goes. As far as a promoter, I’m still in talks with various people. But I’ve wanted to go pro for a while now, I feel my style is just totally more suited to the pros instead of the amateurs. 100 per cent.”
Any date yet for your pro debut?
“It will be on a Matchroom card, either on August 9, or on Dave Allen’s undercard, which will be at the end of September.”
How would you describe your fighting style?
“I like to think I can do it all. I have a great engine. I can box and I can stand and have a fight. So you can expect to see it all when I fight. I put my great engine down to my ring IQ, how I use my brains in the ring. You have to use your energy wisely. Also, I’m always in the gym training hard, and I’m always fit. I train twice a day, six days a week, just Sundays off. I’m ready to go [pro] now, so it won’t be a case of getting ready, I will stay ready.”
And you have sparred some good fighters?
“Yeah, Lyndon Arthur, Liam Cameron, Lerrone Richards, Darren Till. I’ve sparred eight and ten rounds with them. I only spar [at least] eight rounds now. As far as my strength and conditioning, I work with Boxercise in Sheffield.”
How old were you when you first put the gloves on?
“I was six or seven. I was a kickboxer first, that’s where it all started. I’ve been fighting ever since.”Who are some of your all-time favourite fighters and heroes?
“Oh, the list goes on and on. Roy Jones is my all-time favourite fighter. Floyd Mayweather, and so many more…..I could go on and on.”
And your favourite current fighters?
“I really like Jai Opetaia, he’s f*****g awesome. He’s really a class fighter.”
You know of course about all the things Henry Wharton did for York as far as boxing?
“Oh, yeah, he’s a York legend. I’m going to bring those days back. I want to build up a big fanbase in York, and elsewhere.”
Henry fought three times for a world title, but unfortunately, as good as he was, he just felt a little bit short. You feel you will go all the way?
“100 per cent. For so long now, I’ve seen myself as a world champion. I wouldn’t be doing it otherwise.”
At 6’3” you are pretty tall for a cruiserweight. As you progress in your career, the inevitable question will be, will you move up in weight and be a heavyweight one day?
“Yeah, but I’ll see how my body grows. I’ve been in with heavyweights already [in sparring] so it’s not something I would shy away from. Leo [Atang] has been my best mate for years and we spar all the time, we have done for years.”
We wish you well with the pro debut, and it would be great to see you get signed up by Matchroom the way Leo has……
“Yeah, I want to be busy, active. I’d like to get out six to eight times a year. I’m just waiting on my pro application to get done and then I’m looking forward to my pro debut.”
