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Blackley's great bright hope

Steve Kelly
16/ 1/2003

BOXING sensation Thomas McDonagh started this year with a bang after he turned down the chance to become a world champion.

But despite snubbing a 12-round showdown with WBU champion, and stable mate, Anthony Farnell, the Blackley-based boxer, who has only fought in six-round contests, still believes he will become a world-beater within three years.

He said: "I am feeling really confident at the moment. I really think I have what it takes to become world champion, but I've got to make sure I don't jump in too quickly. I've set myself a target to become champion by the time I'm 25, but I'll know when I'm ready. I need to start to get some longer fights under my belt but I think I'll have a shot at a world title by the end of the year."

But the 22-year-old, who trains at Brian Hughes' famed Collyhurst and Moston Gym, is still undefeated after 19 fights, winning 17.

"A lot of people think I'm new to the game because of my age, but I feel like I have been around for ages. If you take into account when I first started boxing, you'd see I've been in the game for 15 years."

But despite his impressive record, he never weight trains.

"A lot of people dedicate hours to lifting weights to improve their strength," he said. "But For some reason, I prefer to concentrate on the other parts of my game. When I was first boxing, I was always naturally quite strong so I wanted to improve my technique and fitness."

Thomas' career began when he moved from Salford to Blackley in 1988.

"I started going to Blackley Youth Gym when I was about eight to work out because I was too young to do anything too physical," he said. "A few months later, I started to do a bit of pad work and my uncle said he thought I should go down to Collyhurst to learn a bit of boxing. It didn't take long before it got to being like home there."

And after 15 years at Hughes' club, McDonagh has become classed as a true 'Collyhurst boy'.

"People keep telling me I'm the last one because I'm really the only one who has stayed there from the start," he said. "No disrespect to the other fighters there because we have some great ones, but many of them have come from other clubs. I've always felt that Collyhurst, and Brian, was the best thing for me. It just felt like home really."

During his childhood, Thomas studied at St Matthew's RC High School in Moston, where fellow sportsmen including Manchester City striker Jonathan Macken, and boxers Wayne Pinder and Farnell were taught.

"It seemed to be a place for a lot of sporting talent," he said. "We were all very good mates."

And he admitted the prospect of a contest with Farnell would have been difficult for either to lose. He said: "It would've been really weird fighting Anthony because I've grown up with him really. I wouldn't have liked any of us to lose under those conditions. A loss would definitely have been hard for any of us to take."

Thomas takes on Brazilian Thomas Da Silva on Saturday at Preston Guild Hall - a fight he believes he will have no problems winning. He said: "I drew against him a while back in Manchester, but I boxed pretty badly. My confidence is really high at the moment and I will get him this time, I know I will."