Jerry-Lee: a Spanish champ seeking glory in Solihull hometown
Jerry-Lee with dad Andy (left) and coach Paul Gilmore
NEW pro Jerry-Lee Palmer – a fighter with a very colourful background – has certainly travelled to make her mark in the sport.
And it’s hard to know which nugget of information to put at the top of the Solihull light-middleweight’s story.
She’s a Spanish and British amateur champ. She’s boxed for the Canary Islands, she’s boxed for the army. Away from the ring, she gives Spanish languages lessons.
Jerry-Lee was born here, raised in Tenerife where her parents reside, won titles over there and came back to Britain six years ago to continue her boxing career.
That’s a summary of the story.
On Friday night, Jerry “Lightning” Lee made her paid debut at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, and didn’t have it all her own way before outpointing the Czech Republic’s seasoned Ester Konecna 39-37.
The 30-year-old suffered a bloody nose in the fourth and final round and admitted she wasn’t at her best.
“I’d broken my nose in the middle of summer sparring the boys,” she said. “I’ve had problems with it since, so had to have minimal sparring going into the fight. I walked into an uppercut and that was what started the nose bleeding.
“I was happy with the show I was on and the support I got. Was I happy with my performance? No – and I’m sure I’m not the only one who would say that.
“I hadn’t competed since last year, so I had a lot of cobwebs and ring-rust. She (Konecna) didn’t come to have a little play around. She’s beaten quite a few good girls, she has a weird style, very unorthodox. It was hard to get your feet underneath and land good shots.
“I know what I have to do for my next fight.”
When firing on all cylinders, Palmer is a paella powerhouse – her outstanding, title laden amateur CV shows that.
Jerry-Lee’s pedigree is such that Birmingham’s world title challenger Matt Macklin signed her to the pro ranks, while former amateur coach Paul Gilmore trains her at Solihull’s Combat Sports Centre.
Where to begin the Jerry-Lee story?
She learned to box in Tenerife, was selected to represent the Canary Islands in the 2019 Spanish championships, won them, then moved here.
“Having an English passport, I couldn’t represent Spain or get dual nationality, so if I wanted to progress I had to come here,” she explained.
“Learning to box in Spain, you get taught more of a pro style – planting your feet, stalking them down, rather than the playing tag, in-and-out amateur style. I had to learn that here.”
Jerry-Lee evidently learned quickly.
Representing West Warwick ABC, she pretty much mopped-up on the domestic front.
She won the prestigious Winter Women’s Cup, has scooped gold and silver in Elite championships and took the Tri-Nations title.
Jerry-Lee said: “When covid happened, I joined the army as a reservist, I didn’t even know the army had a boxing team. When I was doing my basic training, they said, ‘you can box for us’.”
In all, she amassed 20 wins in 25 bouts.
“I was 28, 29 at the time,” Jerry-Lee said. “I decided if I was going to do anything else, I’d have to dip my feet in the professional game.
“It’s been difficult, with medical and personal issues. I had to have my eyes lasered, it was hard to find housing. I didn’t know if the world was telling me to go back to Tenerife.”
Thankfully, Jerry-Lee decided to stick it out.
“The world is my oyster,” she added. “I feel my age is a ticking time bomb. I want to take each fight as it comes and feel better in myself with each fight. I feel I can achieve things, whether that will be at Midlands, British or Commonwealth level, time will tell.
“I know my style suits the pro style. I’m very comfortable on the front foot, but if I have to, I’ll fight on the back foot.”
Jerry-Lee will bring a diverse crowd to fight nights. Her dad and friends flew in for her debut, her old 159 Regiment booked a table and also cheering her on were the women she trains during sessions at the Combat Sports Centre.
Palmer looks set to sprinkle some Mediterranean magic on the Midlands boxing scene.