Big Joe Bourne - the secret is finally out!

Big Joe towers over fellow Cleary’s champion Reni Bulyka

ONE of boxing’s best kept secrets will soon be a secret no longer.

Hulking Big Joe Bourne is set to step out of the shadows, turn pro next year and has the tools to be among the heavyweight division’s future stars.

He stands 6ft 4ins tall, weighs 19stone 2lbs and represented Britain as a powerlifter.

I’ve known about Big Joe for some time, but urged to keep the giant’s potential under wraps by Edwin Cleary, who trains the 26-year-old at his Leamington gym – a sweatshop with a reputation for producing heavyweight champs.

Commonwealth gold medallist Lewis Williams is a product of Cleary’s gym, so is big hitting pro heavyweight Matty Harris.

The time is right to unveil Big Joe Bourne, who turned to boxing after a top level rugby career.

On Sunday, at Acocks Green, Birmingham, he outpointed Alessio Kashami for the Midlands ABA super-heavyweight title.

The muscled, menacing Albanian born fighter, from Coventry’s Toe 2 Toe gym, was kept at bay by Bourne’s superb jab.

On Sunday, Big Joe travels to Bridlington, Yorkshire, where he’ll face Mike Horne (St Paul’s) in the pre quarter-finals.

A few more major tournaments and Bourne, who has tasted defeat only once in 12 contests, will hang up his vest and box for money. To that end, he spars such accomplished professionals as Frazer Clarke.

Edwin Cleary, a former pro from the famed Brendan Ingle stable, said: “Joe has got the best jab I’ve ever had in my gym and the plan was to use that terrific jab.

“The second round, I thought the ref should’ve stopped it. The other guy froze after being hit right at the end of the round.”

Big Joe, whose father Trevor fought for Coventry’s famed Triumph Club, enjoys a big following in the Warwickshire spa town.

“He’s very loveable, people like him,” Edwin said. “He’s the kind of lad you wouldn’t mind your daughter bringing home.

“He’s easy to coach because he’s got that rugby background. He doesn’t spar Matty (Harris) now because they’re both on separate journeys. When they did, Matty said Joe’s one of the hardest punchers he’s faced.

*Big Joe wasn’t the only Cleary champ crowned on Sunday. Reni Bulyka took the Midlands youth title at lightweight.

The 17-year-old – another with a sporting background in rugby – boxed three times on his title journey, winning them all by unanimous decision.

He beat the younger brother of hot Birmingham pro prospects Tion and Cori in the quarter-finals, staged at Tamworth.

Edwin said: “The semis was amazing as I’ve never seen a novice fight the first two rounds orthodox and the last southpaw.

“Reni wants to go pro, but wants to establish himself as an amateur first.”

Overall, the teenager has lost three of 16.