Super-welterweight prospect Junaid Bostan has always wanted to stand out from the crowd – and on Saturday (December 16) he gets an opportunity to do just that as part of the Jesse Rodriguez-Sunny Edwards show in Glendale, Arizona.
In this interview with Boxing News, Bostan speaks about his Stateside debut, the council estate in which he grew up, his school years, and his thoughts on the current scene at 154lbs.
Interview by Shaun Brown
BN: When you turned professional, how did you envisage the early days of your career? Did you believe you would have signed with a big promoter and be fighting in America so soon?
JB: If I’m honest it was a bit mad. I’ve always had a confidence I was going to get to the top. And I always knew that I wanted to stand out from the rest, and I wanted to do big things early. But before my boxing career even started, before I had my first fight, I was signed to Frank Warren, then I got out of contract with Frank. I then got told I’m going to fight on a small hall show. I felt a bit underwhelmed. But I sold a lot of tickets, and I was headlining in my hometown in front of my own people, and it was my night and nobody else’s. I performed the way I did, I went viral, got attention off managers, [and] got the attention off promoters. I wouldn’t change my first fight for the world. I’d then fight on Dalton Smith’s undercard with [Sam] O’Maison knowing full well I want to perform. I sold a lot of tickets and got the attention of Eddie [Hearn], signed with Matchroom, and since then it’s been a whirlwind. If I’m being honest, I didn’t think it would come this quick, the American debut and that stuff. But what I will say is I’m not surprised. I’ve put the work in, I’ve been performing the way I’ve been performing, so it’s only right.
BN: You mentioned wanting to do something to “stand out from the rest”. Have you always been like that through your whole life?
JB: From a very young age I’ve always liked to perform and stand out from the rest. Whether it was good or bad I always wanted to be the man in the room and show people how different I am. By doing that I just had to be myself. I just want to be genuine, and I feel like that’s got me a long way and I think people can see that. When people pretend to be something they’re not, people can see through it. With me, I’m just being myself, and that’s got me very far.
BN: How did you get on at school?
JB: How do I put it? I knew it was temporary. I weren’t necessarily disrespectful, but I was a little shit. I got away with murder purely because teachers liked me. I had a good heart. Nine times out of 10 the school report would say, “Junaid’s a good student, got potential to go far, but he’s easily distracted.” I left school with decent GCSEs, passed all my exams but never revised. If anything, I was preparing for the upcoming championships. School looked after me, they knew I had potential in my boxing career, and they backed me. I’m from an area where not much talent’s coming through. But with me, they backed me all the way. They let me go away to tournaments. But with school I was troublesome. But I didn’t mean it.
BN: What was it like growing up in Eastwood (Rotherham)?
JB: Rotherham’s got a stigma. Where I grew up, it’s a proper council estate. It’s full of different ethnicities, culturally diverse, and obviously with a council estate, it gets its own problems. People haven’t got it easy. I was fortunate not to be in that position. A lot of kids are surviving off the bare minimum. I wouldn’t say it’s an area where it’s worse than anything, but it’s got its fair share of problems, and a lot goes off. But at the same time, it’s brought me up and made me who I am. It was a good area to be brought up in. It has got its own stigma, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. A lot of stuff happened but it was normal. I’ll always remember my roots and I want to represent it the best way I can. If anything, I want to show the younger lads that you can do something with yourself. It’s not all dull and getting into bother. There is something you can do with yourself if you put your mind to it.
BN: Are you satisfied with the performances you’ve shown in your seven fights so far?
JB: Definitely. I’ve had seven fights; six stoppages. I’ve fought Area champions and I’ve fought undefeated lads. I’ve fought a different range of styles. If I’m being real, the only fight where an opponent hasn’t come to me was my first fight. The rest have come to win and thinking they’re going to win for the most part. I do like how my career’s gone so far but I’m more excited about what’s to come. I don’t really pay much attention to what’s happening. I pay attention to what’s ahead.
BN: So, where would you expect your career to be this time next year?
JB: This time next year at the top domestically. I’ll be calling for titles. It will be my breakthrough year. Going from a boy to a man. It’s just a matter of time before I bring it to fruition. That’s my intention.
BN: The British scene at 154lbs is a lively one. Do you pay attention to it?
JB: I focus on myself, but you’ve got to keep an eye on others. At the end of the day the only person that can beat me is myself. As long as I become the best version of myself nobody’s got a prayer. It’s just a matter of time. The moment I go from a 10 to a 12-round fighter, and develop my man strength, everything else will come along. Boxing ability-wise I’m better than the lot of them. It’s a matter of showing it and being prepared. When the time does come, and you’ve got to back up the words, I do that with flying colours.
BN: Do you expect to move up to middleweight in the future?
JB: Right now, I’m light-middle, super-welter, whichever you want to call it. I make the weight easy. I am young, I’ve got the body and the frame to move up in weight, but for right now, unfortunately for these guys at 154lbs I’m staying here as long as I can. If anything, I’m growing into the weight. God willing, I win titles through the weights up to super-middle. I’m only 21. I’ve got a good 10-12 years in the game, so who knows. For now my attention is on the light-middleweight division.
BN: I’d imagine that your American debut against Gordie Russ II won’t just be about getting a win. I get the impression you will want to make a statement and put on a show.
JB: I want to put on a show; I’m a performer. It’s sport but it’s the entertainment business. The main priority is getting a win but a close second to that is performing and doing a number on him. Each and every time I want to do that. But I definitely want to do that in this one particularly. The lad’s a bit of a gobshite. He’s been giving it large on social media for a long, long time. I’m one of them that will call your bluff. We were struggling to get opponents for this American debut. I said yes to every opponent given to me; they all fell through. He [Russ] then called me out after not doing it for months. He did it again. I screenshotted it; I sent it to my manager; I sent it to Matchroom. I went, “See if this fight can be made.” They made the fight happen and I was ecstatic. The moment the fight got made he’s gone all quiet. If anything, I’m quite worried that he’s having second thoughts and doubts. I hope he shows up. He’s the ideal dancing partner for my American debut. He’s got a loud mouth and, if anything, he’s going to make it more of a show. So, it’s going to make me look spectacular. From my understanding he’s Sugar Hill’s [Steward] nephew. (BN: Russ and Hill are cousins and Hill also trains him). I pray to God Sugar Hill is in his corner and he’s wearing the famous Kronk shorts because when I batter him it’s going to make me look even better.
