THE GB boxing team has bid farewell to Scottish middleweight John Docherty. After winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, Docherty will turn professional with promoter Eddie Hearn and trainer Tony Sims.
In a statement a spokesperson for GB Boxing said, “John Docherty was recently released by GB Boxing from the world class performance programme for boxing. We wish him every success in his future career.”
At Gold Coast 2018, Docherty scored a good win over talented English rival Ben Whittaker, a repeat of a victory over Whittaker from the Commonwealth Youth Games where Docherty won gold. But then in the semi-final of the Elite version Docherty put in a disappointing performance as he lost to Cameroon’s Dieudonne Wilfried Seyi Ntsengue. He plans to compete professionally at super-middleweight, so making weight could have hampered him as the tournament progressed.
He did win the 2016 GB championships and would have been one of the amateur squad’s leading contenders at 75kgs.
“I am so excited to get my pro career started,” said Docherty. “I loved my time with GB and representing my country in Australia was a huge honour, but that chapter is closed now and I cannot wait to test myself in the pro’s.
“It’s brilliant to team up with Matchroom Boxing and Sky Sports, and training with Tony in Essex is going to bring me on so much. There’s lots of class fighters in the gym and of course, I’ll be training with Ricky [Burns], who is a legend in Scotland and someone I’ve always looked up to, so to be able to learn from him every day is going to be amazing.”
“I am delighted to welcome John to the team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “John’s amateur pedigree speaks for itself and he has all the ingredients to be a big success in the paid ranks.
“He’s a fiercely ambitious young man that is eager to learn every day, which is vital to make it in this sport. John’s commitment to move down to Tony’s gym in Essex to be alongside his fellow countryman and Scottish great Ricky Burns shows how dedicated he is to becoming a star, and I can’t wait to see his journey get underway in the new season.”
