Middleweight Kieron Conway has travelled from Northampton to Las Vegas to fulfil a lifelong dream in opposition to Austin Williams, writes Elliot Worsell
BOXING final 12 months on the undercard of a Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez primary occasion in Arlington, Texas was fairly the shot within the arm for Northampton’s Kieron Conway, although he admits that doing the identical in Las Vegas, his task this weekend, brings with it an altogether completely different type of enchantment.
“That is one thing I’ve all the time wished to do as a result of I’ve all the time been an enormous, massive Elvis fan,” Conway advised Boxing Information this morning (September 14) in Las Vegas. “I don’t suppose lots of people know this, however I had an enormous Elvis upbringing, with my dad and mom usually enjoying his music.
“I all the time wished to do what Elvis did and carry out right here due to this. Profitable this combat would imply the world to me. It’s a field ticked and it’s additionally a large launchpad for me.”
The identical could possibly be stated of his earlier combat on a Canelo occasion, in fact. That night time, in Arlington, Conway battled the unbeaten Souleymane Cissokho over 10 rounds and, regardless of dropping the Frenchman within the ninth, was finally edged out on the playing cards by way of cut up determination. This time, with much more at stake, and with the extra pull of profitable within the land of Elvis, Conway, a middleweight, is set to depart nothing to probability.
“That combat (final 12 months) I learnt loads, each inside and outdoors the ring,” he stated. “There have been issues occurring exterior the ring and, in a super world, I wouldn’t have taken that combat. However I took it, and I wasn’t letting something cease me. I learnt loads from it, and gained’t make the identical errors twice. I’m now right here recent and able to go.”
Curiously, although each Conway and his subsequent opponent, Austin Williams, are 26 years of age, their careers thus far have been utterly completely different, with Conway, a professional since 2017, by far the extra examined and confirmed of the 2, with a few losses to point out this.
Williams, then again, turned professional solely in 2019 and has to this point, in amassing an 11-0 (9) file, remained each undefeated and just about untested.
“That will likely be essential,” Conway, 18-2-1 (4), stated of his larger expertise. “With out that have you don’t know what it’s like in a professional combat, on a professional stage, with professional gloves on. That is completely different to sparring and completely different to the amateurs. It’s completely completely different and, if you’ve not skilled that, and it first comes round, it’s tough to brace your self for it.
“I really feel like that is his second for that to occur. He’ll lastly get his first style of being within the trenches and being in a tough combat the place issues aren’t going to plan.
“Once I bought that loss in Texas final 12 months, I needed to ask and reply a whole lot of questions. I imagine I’ve discovered the solutions to these questions now and lined all of the issues I have to cowl.
“I’m positively not right here to lose. I’m right here to win. I don’t need to expertise that feeling of dropping ever once more. I don’t need to need to go away and ask myself those self same questions once more. I’m 26 and am at an important level in my profession. I’m right here to do a job now and put my profession on prime.”
No stranger to setbacks, and no stranger to rebounding from them, both, Conway is on the stage now the place he has established himself as a stable, reliable contender, however in all probability wants a press release win if he hopes to turn out to be one thing extra. This, for positive, might arrive within the type of a win over Williams, and certainly, with a lot at stake on Saturday night time, Conway has handled the combat and the chance with all of the care and a focus it each deserves and can possible require.
“I watch all my opponents,” he stated, “and am an enormous boxing pupil. I don’t go house and chill and play PlayStation. I’m going house and watch boxing. I don’t sleep at nighttime, I go to sleep watching boxing. So, clearly, I’ve made positive I’ve watched all the things I presumably might of him. I really feel like I’ve watched a lot of him I’ve already fought him.”
By way of what he has seen, Conway went on to clarify: “He’s clearly very athletic, sharp and explosive. However I’ve a whole lot of expertise and my boxing expertise will come out on prime. I’m the superior boxer, technically and mentally. I’ve been within the trenches, I understand how it feels, and that is now my time to place my foot on the fuel and take over. Each time he does one thing, I’m going to match it. He gained’t be capable of dominate and get issues his personal means the best way he has executed with different fighters. I’m additionally going to be the larger fighter. I’m an enormous middleweight and once I get within the ring I’ll be nearer to light-heavyweight.”
Large, skilled, and battled-hardened, Conway proceeded to then emphasise the necessity and his intention to be on Williams from first bell to final, like a hound canine, if you’ll. He additionally is aware of the time is now for rather less dialog and a bit of extra motion, in addition to the significance of stepping on Austin Williams’ blue suede footwear, dirtying each the footwear and the American’s unblemished skilled file within the course of.
