FAMILY DYNAMICS in boxing corners can be complicated. Sometimes the addition of a relative brings balance; other times it invites confusion. For Mark Dickinson, the decision to have his younger brother Jacob as head trainer has proved to be a gamble that’s paying off.
At 26, Dickinson believes he is benefiting from a bond that no experienced coach can replicate. Jacob may lack the résumé of Ben Davison or Tony Sims – both of whom previously trained Mark – but the former English champion is convinced his brother can bring out the very best in him.
“Obviously, my brother’s younger than me, and obviously he’s not got the most experience in the world when it comes to pro boxing, but he’s got experience with me,” Dickinson told Boxing News.
“He knows how I box, he knows my strengths, and he knows my weaknesses. I thought I had my career best performance training with my brother against [Reece] Farnhill. I just know what’s best for me. People obviously will underestimate his knowledge on boxing because he’s so young. They’ll just think, ah, he just wants to train with his brother, but I’m going to keep showing performance after performance why I’m training with him.”
That win over Reece Farnhill earlier this year was the most complete of Dickinson’s professional career so far, and he believes Jacob’s influence was central to the performance. For Mark, the trust between brothers runs deeper than any tactical instruction.
“He knows what I’m thinking,” Dickinson said. “He knows if I’m switching off, if I’m getting tired, or not getting tired. I enjoy training with him as well and we talk about boxing every day together. We agree on a lot of stuff. If I explain something to him, he understands where I’m coming from, or if he explains it to me, I can see where he’s coming from. And I think that’s a big part of boxing as well being able to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.”
The Dickinson brothers’ next test comes on Saturday night at the Rainton Meadows Arena, Houghton-le-Spring, where Mark was due to defend his English super-middleweight crown* against Troy Williamson. The former British super-welterweight champion claimed his 154lb title in dramatic fashion against Ted Cheeseman in 2021 and has since built a reputation for toughness and resilience. Williamson, who most recently boxed in the United States against Jahi Tucker, has shared countless rounds of sparring with Dickinson.
“We’ve probably done over 100, 200 rounds together,” Dickinson said. “For the Farnhill fight, he was my main sparring partner. It’s one of them really – he’ll have his game plan, I’ve got my game plan and I’m 100% sure I’ll come out on top.”
While his ambitions extend to a future clash with British champion Callum Simpson, Dickinson knows he cannot afford to look past Williamson.
“I’ve got to get Troy out the way first. I’m not saying he’s going to be an easy fight, but I believe if I’m going to push on in my career I have to beat Troy Williamson. If I can’t beat Troy Williamson, I don’t believe I’m good enough to go on and do what I say I can do. That’s just how it is.”
Dickinson admits his career has been “inactive” so far – limited to nine fights in four years due to injuries and promotional issues. But momentum is finally building. Saturday’s fight will be his second outing of 2025, and victory would set him up for a significant opportunity next year.
“I want to push on in my career. I’m a 26-year-old and I just want to see how far I can go. I believe I can go all the way, but I just want to test myself and see.”
Away from the ring, Dickinson is preparing for a life-changing moment as he and his partner await the arrival of their first child. It’s given him an added sense of purpose.
“Everything happens for a reason and he’s a blessing. And now everything I do in my boxing career is for him as well. So, it gives me that extra bit of drive to push on. I don’t want my son to ever grow up and think my dad was a quitter. So, no matter what happens September 6, I’m going to give it my all, and make sure that I do a job on Troy.”
Dickinson is blunt when asked when those thoughts of legacy and responsibility first entered his mind.
“As soon as I knew I was going to be a dad.”
For a man who admits school was never for him, boxing has been both his escape and his anchor. “Without boxing, I’ve got f*** all, to be honest with you. I need to box. I love boxing. If I don’t box, I don’t know what I’d be doing.”
Some may dismiss Dickinson’s straightforward approach, but he embraces the no-frills mentality. What you see is what you get. Against Williamson, he knows what he’s up against, but he also believes youth and freshness will be on his side.
“I wouldn’t take a fight if I didn’t think I could win. Troy’s never been stopped, so I can’t go in there thinking, oh, I’m definitely going to stop this man. I believe that it’s a possibility.
“The man’s a tough man, he’s a fighting man, and he’s trying to provide for a family and himself, so he wants it. I think if I get it right on the night, I’ve got too much ability for Troy, too young, too fresh, too good.”
* While the bout with Williamson goes ahead tomorrow evening, Dickinson was stripped of the English belt for failing to make weight.
