Fanthome out to put career back on track

Leo Fanthome...third fight at Holiday Inn this Saturday

FOR every boxer there are nerves before entering the fray.

Leo Fanthome, the light-welter (I’m old school and refuse to use the now popular “super-lightweight” tag) of Venezuelan heritage, could be forgiven for harbouring more nerves than most when he steps through the ropes on Saturday night.

The Holiday Inn, Birmingham, four rounder is Leo’s first bout since being shockingly stopped in May.

That four round defeat in his second pro outing can be considered a blip, a setback. But Leo, trainer Lee Spare and manager Jon Pegg, know inside distance defeat at the weekend would raise serious questions.

That is the tight-rope Leo walks.

“Pressure and nerves are good,” said the popular Redditch 26-year-old. “They’re what gets you firing off the right cylinders. We need adversities in order to grow.”

Leo is being eased back gently and sensibly. At the Holiday Inn, he’ll face dependable Sheffield journeyman Paul Scaife who has won only one of 49 (one draw), but only failed to hear the final bell five times.

Clear points victory would appear to be a given, but it appeared to be a given against Naheem Ali, who has to date won three of 135.

Leo looked sharp and precise in his debut last December. He was sharp and precise for three-quarters of the Ali contest before a big right hand connected.

He let his focus wander and was walloped. The lesson, he assured me, has been learnt.

“Loss of concentration, I think, more than anything,” he said. “My goals remain the same – to be on TV and box for titles. I want to do that for myself and my family.

“I think I have the ability and skill to do that.

“But this is my third fight, I never look above what’s next. I have ambitions, but focus on each fight as it comes.”

Leo turned over after a solid 30 bout amateur career. He has amassed a healthy following and should have around 100 fans at the Holiday Inn.

“I enjoyed my amateur career, but I like everything that comes with the pros,” Leo said. “Some of the work I’ve been doing with Lee has been to really open up my shots.

“I don’t know too much about Paul Scaife. I know he comes for a fight, tucks up well and has had quite a few fights. I’m really confident.”

More importantly, Leo know he has to prove that wasn’t the real him in the ring last time out.