Brad’s prepared to wait for his shot at the boxing big time

Goldsmith shed the ring rust at H Suite

BRADLEY Goldsmith shed the ring rust gathered during a five month ring absence through injury with comprehensive victory over rugged Ukranian Serhii Ksendzov on Tommy Owen’s Sunday afternoon show at The H Suite, Edgbaston.

The Coventry middle (164lbs), a man with a huge fan base, controlled the contest from start to finish, taking every session of the six rounder, 60-54 on referee Chris Dean’s card.

And in the fifth, it looked as if the 25-year-old’s incessant body work would be rewarded with an even more emphatic victory. But Ksendzov (165lbs) grimly hung in there, smothering and spoiling his way to safety.

Goldsmith, trained in Sheffield by Dominic Ingle, really does look one to watch. And he certainly puts bums on seats – around 180 for the H Suite. For a Sunday show and with Christmas beckoning, that’s very good going.

He said: “I’m more than happy. He’s quite a tough operator, you could tell he knew his way round a ring.

“I know my ability, but I also know the work that needs to be put in. Ideally, I need an eight rounder under my belt before looking at titles.”

Goldsmith is gaining a maturity that shows in interviews. When he first started in the pro ranks, Bradley wanted a title fight asap, he was a man in a rush. He can now see the benefits of a waiting game.

“If you asked me just months ago about the lack of opportunities, I would’ve been upset, you’d get a range of emotions.

“But I realise you have to go through the process. I can’t dwell on what other fighters have got or what they’re getting because that takes the focus off what I’m trying to achieve. Ultimately, it will slow me down.

“People come up to me and say, ‘you’re too good for this, you’re too good for that, you should be on Sky Sport’, but they don’t understand what boxing involves and the politics of boxing.

“If it had happened at the beginning of the year, I probably wouldn’t have been ready. Some get their opportunity early and they crumble under the pressure. When I land an opportunity on that platform I want to stay on that platform.

“I want to be on those big shows because I merit being on those big shows, not because I sell tickets.”