By Terry Dooley
FIGHTERS sparring other fighters only to find out they have been given an offer to fight them for real is not uncommon. Indeed, West Midlands-based Tyler Denny (19-2-3, 1 KO) had an inkling that after doing some rounds with undefeated hot prospect Hamzah Sheeraz (20-0, 16 KOs) earlier this year there was a distinct chance that he might be inking a deal to defend his EBU middleweight title against the 25-year-old.
The 33-year-old southpawโs suspicions were confirmed when the call came to meet the Ilford-based boxer on the undercard of Daniel Duboisโs maiden defence of the IBF heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
It is a new experience, being Dennyโs first open-air stadium bout. It also presents a fresh challenge right off the bat of his fifth-round Technical Decision win over the then-undefeated Felix Cash in June, his first defence of the title he won by beating holder Matteo Signani last November (W TKO 8).
For Denny, though, it is water off a duckโs back. When Boxing News caught up with him at the Black Country Boxing (BCB) gym in Wednesbury, he had unwrapped his hands after wrapping up his final sparring session. It was a bright, Indian Summerโs afternoon. The heat meant that the steam rose from Denningโs body and hit the ceiling then dispersed and clung to the gym’s walls as he outlined how the fight came to fruition.
โSparring is one thing, this will be different,โ he said. โIt got put towards me and I thought: โSheeraz? Yes. Wembley Stadium. Yes. Undercard of Dubois-Joshua. Yes. Just send me that contract.โ It is the easiest fight Iโve ever had to say โYesโ to.
โI know that anything less than 100% wonโt get me the win so 100% is where Iโll be. Thereโs also no fuel to add to this fight, Iโve been an underdog many times. It gives me pride in myself to prove people wrong.โ
โHeโs a good fighter, a confident fighter, but Iโm confident, too, and that comes from my team: my training, sparring and all this hard work,โ he added. โI donโt think about it being in a stadium. A ring is a ring, weโll be there trying to take each otherโs head off. Iโve boxed in arenas, smaller venues and on the road so it doesnโt faze me. Iโll just stay warm for the ringwalk and introductionsโthat will be the main difference.
โIโm a relaxed character. I put in 100% so I can go bed every night knowing Iโve done everything I can. Maybe people underestimate me because of my losses and drawsโthat and the fact Iโve only got one stoppageโbut I am sharp, as Felix Cash found out.
22 June 2024
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
โIโve been low on the radar for five or six fights now, not just the Cash fight. I donโt mind that, people can put a bet on me confident in the fact theyโll be able to afford a few drinks afterwards as they get good odds.
โAs I said, Iโve been to York Hall, Wembley Arena, and now Wembley Stadium. It is a path that is more for my fans than for me as the Black Country fans are great. There isnโt much else going on given whatโs going on with Wolves and Albion so they get behind the boxing.
โI am enjoying myself because I turned professional without any ambitionsโI just wanted to box. Then I won the Midlands Area title, which I was very proud of, and people said I had overachieved. Then I won the English and people said it again. Then the European, which was beyond my wildest dreams. I donโt set targets or anything like that. It is all about winning that next fight.โ
BCB is looking to expand in coming years, all under the silent, watchful eye of reclusive promoter, manager and trainer Errol Johnson. One of boxingโs few quiet men, Johnson prefers to do his talking through his fighters yet is also keen to further the BCB brand. To that end, he might have to dispense with his old-fashioned basher phone, rub his eyes and come out blinking into the harsh spotlight of the modern world.ย ย
โErrol wonโt let people know who he is,โ laughed Denny as Johnson passed by phone in hand. โWe try to get him into photos, we even tried to get him an iPhone, but although heโs coming out of himself, heโs still living years behind. Weโve even tried to get him on WhatsApp and Twitter. He wonโt have a smartphone so just has that dodgy Cartel phone. He deserves the recognition, though, and weโre all striving for it, too.โ
Denny is aware that social media is a double-edged sword, especially when facing a spotlight like the one he is under this week. However, he believes balance is crucial not just in boxing but in all areas of life.
โI turn notifications off apart from the people who really need to get hold of me,โ he said. โThen after the fight, you might get hundreds of messages. You appreciate it all. You donโt want to be rude to people, so you get back to as many people as possible. Iโll try to do 10 minutes on the phone then put it down to avoid distractions. My Mum is always on it, she messages my missus to find out what Iโm doing if she doesnโt hear from me. Although Iโd rather people pick up the phone and call me if they want me.โ
Denny likes to keep a tight, close-knit circle. A father of four, he was in the process of building an army of women before his son came into the world eight years ago. With two older daughters and a two-year-old girl, he has his work cut out and is keen to make sure his children are cut from the same cloth as him.
โIt is hard,โ he said. โIโve got a good woman, really, and that plays a big part. You need a good woman behind you in life, not just in boxing. She understands that this is my job. If I win, she wins, and the kids win.
โThe reality is that my kids are in school, so it gets mentioned if I lose. Life is about winning and losing, and how you deal with it. Iโve had losses and can take them, but I donโt want people taking liberties with the kids on behalf of me. I suppose it works two-ways, though, as they get the praise about their dad when I win. It isnโt just about boxing, I like to lead by example by living healthy, exercising and getting the balance between doing that and the odd visit to the chip shop. My son loves playing with his youngest sister so thereโs a lot of girls, a lot of loudness and although Iโm very chilled there isnโt always a lot of chill in the house as it is full of excitement.โ
Between family, training and dieting there is little to no time for anything else, especially with the Sheeraz fight on Dennyโs plate. Still, with such an active family life, his social life has been parked in favour of one pursuit loved by most fighters as it distracts them from a big slice of temptation.
โI sleep!โ he declared when asked what he does for fun. โWhen Iโm asleep, Iโm not getting that urge to eat. Then I chill the same way everyone does by going for walks or being with the kids. Iโve got to admit it, though, Iโve got a sweet tooth. It is like anything. You want what you canโt have so you want that chocolate and those cheat meals. Iโll do a few after the fight then get back on it again. I also have to be sociable to sell tickets, but I pick and choose my timesโI have only been out once this year and weโre in September.โ
Denny had shown nice balance and positioning in sparring while threading shots through from his southpaw stance. The equilibrium he has in his family life bleeds into boxing, getting him into the position to give them all the best possible future.
Indeed, family and boxing centres him. Paternal instinct and competitive desire means that instead of, and to quote William Yeats, โTurning and turning in the widening gyre, The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot holdโฆโ, he has heard the call, responded to it and come what may, Saturday will have seen him come a long way.
If he can hold the centre of the ring, he’ll be in the fight. Boxers always say a fight is just another fight. That fighters are all composed of the same things: arm, leg, leg, arm, head. Denny has worked hard to put himself into a good position. That is all we can hope for, both in boxing and in life