Carter: former crowd favourite is building future fighting stars

Richard Carter today with welter Jermaine Osbourne-Edwards

WHEN fans of a certain age discuss the ones that got away – the band of boxer who should’ve walked from the game with a bagful of belts – Richard Carter is invariably in the hatful of names.

The Wolverhampton middle and super-middle possessed a high ring IQ, solid skills and a healthy dig. What’s more, he enjoyed a huge fanbase: Carter was a titan among ticketsellers. Yet he bowed out with only one loss in 12 and the biggest contest of his career – an IBF intercontinental title chance in Gibraltar – on the horizon.

Carter’s flame burned bright, but it burned briefly. He actually signed pro forms at 17, made his debut days after his 18th birthday and hung up his gloves at just 22.

Today, Carter admits his love for the sport was on the wane when he walked away. “I was only cooking on gas 80 per cent,” said the father-of-twp, “and I just stopped – that was it, never came back to it. I went into the wilderness.

“I’d lost the passion for it. As a young man, I thought I was missing out all the time. I thought I’d have a couple of years off, but it doesn’t work like that.”

At the age of 52, the Black Country ex boxer is very much back in the business. He is now a successful trainer whose seven strong pro gym bristles with up-and-coming talent. Those hopefuls will learn from the mistakes Richard made. Those hopefuls hone their craft through Carter’s old school philosophies.

They are, Carter realises, involved in a profession that is, for better or worse, very different from his day. He’s not afraid to discuss the negatives.

“There were no journeymen in my era,” he said. “If you were a professional fighter, you came to fight. They wanted to fight you and you had to fight better than them to beat them.

“I think it’s starting to change a bit now because there’s a realisation it (matches with journeymen) is losing people coming to watch fights.”

Richard Carter in his fighting prime

There are no regrets, but Carter admits to errors – and turning pro at such a young age tops the list. “It was stupid,” he said matter-of-factly. “But I was a one-man band, I didn’t have much guidance. I was basically self-taught, I learned the game through hard-sparring.

“As a pro, I underachieved at what I did, but I done alright. I was in the top 10 at 20-years-old and Boxing News prospect of the year two years running. I’ve met some great people who put me into business (Carter runs two successful companies). All that was built from the people I knew in boxing.”

Carter enjoyed an outstanding amateur career for Bilston Golden Gloves, reaching a national schoolboy final in 1984 and winning the junior ABAs three years later.

Yet he made the surprising decision to punch for pay, rather than pursue senior amateur glory. “They were closing down Bilston Golden Gloves for whatever reason,” he said. “And you couldn’t have pros in the gym with amateurs, the committee was against it.

“At that point I decided to send (Cannock promoter and manager) Ron Gray a letter and he sent a letter back. At the time George Collins had signed with Frank Warren and I thought, I’ve got a national title, I can do that.”

Carter made his bow at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on September 22, 1988, as Britain’s youngest professional: “It was the first time I’d faced a grown man.” Eight straight wins followed – two under Pat Cowdell’s banner – before disaster struck.

In June, ’91, in front of his adoring fans at the civic hall, Carter was halted in a round by Leeds’ dangerous Colin Manners. For that bleak night, the local hero sold around £5,000 worth of tickets – a measure of his box office power.

A young Carter with late father Alan (left) and trainer Martin Morris

“The night before, I thought the fight was made at 12st,” said Carter, “but the fight was actually made at 11st 7lbs, Ron told me during a call that night. I put on my tracksuit, did five or six miles, got home at midnight and went to bed.

“I’d lost four pounds with a sweat-suit on and thought that was enough. Manners’ people said it had to be 11st 7lbs, so I had to go to the civic hall boiler room. I came in one pound over.

“I came back to my girlfriend, now my wife, fell asleep, never rehydrated, and had nothing in me for the fight. No excuses to Colin, but I was 19 and had lost nearly half-a-stone from the day before.”

Carter rebounded with two wins, but after drawing with Sheffield’s Graham Burton over eight rounds – and climbing off the canvas in the process – he walked away.

“The third round I started complaining,” he laughed, “because Graham was all over the place, all over my feet. I turned away to say something to referee Jim Pridding – something you should never do – and walked into a shot.

“I went down, got up and boxed a draw on auto-pilot.

 “I was 22, I was going out regular, drinking and then I had a call from Ron Gray. I was offered an IBF inter-continental title fight with Juan Roma Medina Padilla in Gibraltar. That was my chance. I said yes, but I was weighing 14 stone, I was enjoying myself, life was sweet.”

The weight began to come off, yet there’s a sense Carter lacked the old fire needed to successfully complete a gruelling title training camp. For whatever reason, the contest failed to materialise and Carter appeared to have turned his back on boxing.

He made a tentative return in 2010, opening a gym in Essington, South Staffordshire, alongside John Birch after being approached by local councillors.

From there, he opened Carter’s Gym in Bushbury, Wolverhampton, and then took the reins of Wolverhampton ABC. “I’ve been there ever since,” he said.

“About three years ago, Andy Owen said he wanted to have a go in the pro game so we decided to turn pro together.”

From that acorn, a mighty oak of Black Country professional talent is growing. The list includes feather/super-bantam Gully Powar, middle Ollie Cooper and welter Jermaine Osbourne-Edwards, all unbeaten and rising through the ranks.

After a bright start to his career, feather Lewis Morris is nursing his first defeat. Carter is quick to point out a points loss over four rounds is not a catastrophe, simply part of the learning process.

“Gully lives and breathes the boxing game,” said the trainer. “He eats it and sleeps it. You have to be mentally connected with your fighter and he calls me four or five times a day and all we talk about is boxing.

“He studies the fight game, he watches the greats and takes things from them. He keeps shocking me, keeps moving the goalposts. He’s been sparring Liam Davies, Brad Foster, Adam Azim. Adam Azim didn’t try to hold back and I thought, ‘I’ve got a kid with some serious minerals here’. He fears nobody. He means what he says on the tin.

“Jermaine did six rounds with Conah Walker last night. He is 34, spiritually involved and trains like a Trojan. Age is the only thing against him. If he’d started when he was 21 he would’ve cleaned-up by now.”

Those boxers thinking of approaching Carter should have their running shoes handy. Roadwork is the foundation stone for a fighter’s success, he believes.

“You’ve got to run and every fighter hates running,” said Carter. “I’m old school – at least five days a week, six or eight miles depending on how many rounds you are going to do. As long as they’ve got the minerals, you can make a fighter out of an athlete.”

Richard Carter had the tools to be a champ. He’s now using those tools to produce future champs.