“Hammer” Goodyear faces a familiar foe
Paige Goodyear…making he first appearance in front of home fans
BLACK Country belter Paige Goodyear will be looking to improve on a previous performance at Dudley Town Hall on Saturday night.
The 22-year-old light-middle faces tough and seasoned Czech fighter Ester Konecna on the bill.
The pair met in Rotherham last October and Sedgley’s Paige took a 37-39 decision after four rounds.
That was a very creditable performance for a boxer taking part in only her second paid bout, although Paige has an impressive amateur pedigree. Konecna had taken part in 21 and currently boasts a 3-21-1 record.
This weekend’s gives fans the chance to see the improvements made in the months that have followed. Paige, who goes by the ring nickname “Hammer”, has not fought since that Rotherham outing.
It’s a homecoming for Paige and her team as she boxes on Black Country turf for the first time as a professional. Her debut – a points win – took place in Sheffield.
Head coach Darren McDermott and assistant head coach Steve O’Rourke are also from the Black Country, so are going back to their roots, too.
Goodyear and McDermott have been together since the start of her pro boxing journey, at the age of 10.
Ex-pro McDermott is a former Midlands and English middleweight champion who also challenged for the British and Commonwealth titles before retiring in 2010.
Macca then opened Brooklands Boxing Club, an amateur gym, with Goodyear becoming one of his first pupils and, definitely, the most successful.
O’Rourke is also involved in the amateur ranks, running Wodensborough Boxing Club, which helped to produce 2020 Olympics silver medallist Ben Whittaker.
Goodyear took bronze at the 2018 Youth World Championships and captained the England team, while also reaching the quarter-finals at that year’s European Youth tournament.
She last featured at amateur level in 2019, finishing up with an unpaid record of 25 victories from 32 bouts, claiming four national titles along the way.
In her debut, Paige outpointed tough Argentinian Linda Karen Ascencio, edging her out by a point, 39-38.
Goodyear was then paired with the experienced Konecna at Rotherham’s Magna Centre. The Czech who has only ever been stopped by world champion Savannah Marshall.
Goodyear said: “That’s what I want, to be challenged. I’m not looking for push-overs, it’s about progression. I hadn’t fought for over two years when I made my debut.
“My opponent was a tough cookie but, as soon as I got my boxing head on, she couldn’t handle the speed and tempo that I’m capable of.
“It was the same in the last one (against Konecna). I had another slow start, which was frustrating, then I switched on, upped the pace and wore her down with body shots.
“I feel like I’m suited to the pro game, I’ve got the boxing IQ to do well.
“I could have stayed as an amateur and the one thing that I didn’t do was go to the Olympics. I might have had a shot at the Commonwealth Games, too.
“I was at the final assessment stage (with Team GB), but I decided to turn pro instead. I’m giving it a go and, up to now, I don’t have any regrets.”