In most cases 17-year-old's do not have a plan for their career.
Standout amateur puncher Luke Crowcroft is different.
The teenager from the Scawthorpe district of Doncaster has the
next few months all mapped out.
The Ernie Oxer School of Boxing protégé picked up his third
national title when he won the CYPs in Leeds at the end of November
and he's targeting another unpaid accolade before testing the
waters in the pro game.
"I'm planning on winning another ABA title and that will put me
in good stead to sign pro on my 18th birthday in June," Crowcroft
told HattonBoxing.
"There's been talk of me staying amateur, but I don't think
there's much point because the GB squad is already picked.
"I think I'll suit the pros better anyway. I sometimes get
frustrated in the amateurs because after I've landed a good shot I
want to get in there and finish them off, but you don't get
anything except a standing eight count.
"I'm a good pressure fighter. I try to wear them down and put it
on them. In the amateur game it's hard to get knockouts, but I
think the pro game I'll get quite a few."
Another thing that has made him consider ditching the vest and
head guard was the confusion he found himself in prior to last
Autumn's Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man.
Based his success in last year's Junior ABAs and the silver
medal he picked up while representing England at the British Youth
Championships, the young Yorkshire man was assured that a place on
the squad was his.
But, as he prepared himself for action, the call came through to
say that the ABAE had made a mistake by picking two boxers at the
same and it would be Crowcroft that would have to watch on from the
side lines.
"I'd been told I was selected and I was ready to go until a
couple of weeks before when I was told the other lad was going," he
explained.
"Because of the fall out with the Junior Commonwealths I've
thought more and more about doing something in the pro game.
"I'm not unhappy with the amateur game, but I just feel I want
another kind of challenge."
Originally, boxing was something Luke took up for recreational
purposes but eventually it became a bug and he's not looked back
since.
"My dad took me up to the gym just as a fitness thing and then
the next thing I knew I was sparring and then fighting," he
recalled.
"But from a young age it was hard for me to get fights because I
was a bigger lad for age.
"Over the last couple of years though everything has clicked
together, I've been boxing more and I've been winning titles."
Currently two CYP titles and a Junior ABA medal decorate the
mantelpiece in the Crowcroft household and Luke insists that's just
the start.
"I've always wanted a British title," he stated. "Everyone wants
world titles but the British one is the best and can push you on.
It's just a great looking belt."
And it isn't like Crowcroft hasn't had plenty of opportunities
to see what the historical Lord Lonsdale Challenge belt looks like
around his waist as reigning domestic and European bantamweight
ruler Jamie McDonnell trains at the same gym in Mexborough.
Indeed, McDonnell is someone the teenage puncher learns a lot
from.
"When you've got someone like that in the gym and you're looking
up to them and watching them spar it inspires you to work harder
and try and achieve the things he has," Luke enthused.
"Jamie always gives 110 per cent and it's good for younger
fighters like me to be able to see how a champion does things."
So it seems everything is set for a stellar career, but there is
one pitfall in the young boxer's make up…he supports Manchester
United!
By Andrew Wake
25/01/2012 00:10:30