Former champ Holt retires from the ring

Paul Holt (right)…brave and skilful former Midlands champion

PAUL Holt, the former Midlands junior-lightweight champ, has retired from the game.

The 32-year-old – part of a famous Birmingham fighting family – revealed he was quitting the paid sport at Saturday’s Holiday Inn show.

He can walk away with head held high. Paul was a well-schooled, tough southpaw who faced some real iron in his 23 fight, near 10 year career. He has been a great ambassador for the game.

He will not be lost to boxing. Paul will continue to coach at Nechells ABC, a club set-up by his grandfather.

He had been planning a ring return after last boxing in September, but has sensibly called time on comeback plans.

“It’s just too difficult,” he said with a shrug. “It’s hard to explain, but I love (professional) boxing and I hate professional boxing. I came to realise it was a business, plain and simple.”

 I’ve always had a lot of time for Paul. In interview, he’s honest and entertaining. The man’s very good company.

After taking prospect Indi Sangha the six round distance in a bruising, 2017 affair, he told me with a smirk: “He didn’t shut up – he was talking all the time.”

Paul turned over in 2013, peeled-off three points wins and was then stopped by tough Lithuanian Simas Volosinas.

His first shot at a Midlands belt came at feather in 2015 and he showed courage to climb off the canvas before dropping the decision to Bobby Jenkinson.

Paul would not be denied. A year later, at Walsall Town Hall, he stopped Louis Fielding in six to take the belt at junior-light (super-feather). That victory made it a family double: Dad Mark had held the Midlands featherweight title.

In April, 2017, Leon Woodstock halted him in two with the same title on the line. He considered retirement after that setback, but the lure of the ring proved too great.

 In the latter years of his career, Paul took his show on the road, facing tough opposition in their own backyard.

The perils of an away fighter were summed-up following Paul’s loss to George Stewart in far-flung Inverness last year.

He told facebook followers: “One of the few fights that I actually enjoyed performing on... no pressure.

“The main issue was the travel (eight hours there with about four hours sleep and then nine hours back after the fight ready for some Saturday graft).

“Also, I wasn't even meant to be boxing this lad, I was meant to box Aidon Williamson but I saw this lad getting into the ring when I was already in it thinking they got mixed up

“Incredible though ain't I. Never dodged no one.

“I took the punches, no one else. I did what I had to, never missed weight but I didn't live the life and that is my fault.”

That was Paul: a man who took fights with few questions asked. A good fighter and, most importantly, a top man.