School’s out for Waqar Hussain as he attempts to make waves in the lightweight division with his pro debut.
His pro bow will come when BCB Promotions are back at the Venue in Dudley, for the first time since July 2019, as part of Friday’s fight night (March 4).
Hussain has been in the sport for over 10 years, but had a stop-start amateur career which resulted in just seven bouts, with four wins, for Lions Boxing Club in Dudley.
The 26-year old hails from Lye, in the borough of Dudley, and has put an end to his studies, so he can be fully-focussed on his boxing aspirations.
He’s linked up with BCB after coming recommended by Kevin McCauley, an erstwhile journeyman who is a double centurion as a pro fighter.
The two are old sparring partners, having gone toe-to-toe at Roy Skeldon’s Black Country Boxing Club in Dudley, when Hussain was still a teenager.
Hussain had committed himself to education, but believes his pro career will be the making of him and can’t wait to make his debut.
He said: “I got my HND in sports science, which I started a degree in (went from Halesowen College to Newman University, Birmingham in 2020), but I dropped out after a year.
“I just want to break down barriers and pursue my dreams in boxing, which is what I’m dedicating myself to, like I never have done before.
“I was a bit of a late starter, I didn’t have my first amateur fight until I was 18 (for Lions Boxing Club in Dudley), but I had six bouts and won four of them.
“I’d been involved in boxing before that and I first sparred Kevin (McCauley) when I was 16. I was 23, when I saw him again, and I asked if he could help me to turn pro.
“He put me in touch with Errol (Johnson) and Paul (Mann) and, since last November, I’ve been training with them, in Wednesbury, at the BCB gym.
“It’s taken me a long time to get here (his debut) and I know the professional leagues are a whole different ball game, but it will do me good.
“That’s what I wanted. My ideas and goals are different, because boxing is a lifestyle choice. I feel completely different, in myself, and I just want to jump in there and get started.
“I’m a counter-puncher, but I’m quite aggressive when I do go forward. My game-plan is to stay calm and collected, then use my skills to force an opening.
“I’m going to start at lightweight, then look to come back as a super feather after Ramadan (in April). I certainly need to be boxing a lot more regularly than I did as an amateur.”
Tickets for the Venue bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £75 VIP ringside with buffet, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.
