Sikh warrior Gully is a social media giant
Gully Powar...home-city date next month: Pic: MSN Images/BCB
HIS ring walk videos draw hundreds of thousands of views on social media, writes PAUL WEBB.
And on October 25 at the Astoria, Wolverhampton, Gully Powar will once again take the spotlight on BCB Promotions stacked “The Takeover” card.
The 22-year-old, from Wolverhampton, has amassed an impressive unbeaten 10-fight record since turning pro just under two years ago - and not dropping a single round along the way. Powar has never been one to seek out the familiar journeyman names and easy opposition. The super-featherweight has faced a variety of styles and fighters from different nations, including his last opponent, Colombian Joshua Ocampo, who he outpointed in June.
“I knew what he was going to bring, he was tricky, said Powar. “Each fight so far has been a learning experience and given me chances to use my skills. The way I have always done it is to try and take one attribute and work on it each fight, so by the time I am boxing for titles I will be a more complete boxer.
“After Ocampo, I was out of the gym for two or three days and then straight back to it, grinding away and working hard. When you want to be as active as I have been, you have to have that focus and know that all this will pay off when the title fights come.
Powar trains at the Wolverhampton Boxing Club under coach Richie Carter, who has been in his corner since his debut. The gym already has one Midland’s champion in Jermaine Osbourne-Edwards and Powar hopes to become the second early next year. Not one to just stay in the comfort zone of his home gym, preparation for October 25 have seen rounds with Birmingham's Cori Gibbs.
“The gym is growing and growing,” Gully said. “There are good amateur kids coming through, and boxing in Wolverhampton is booming. Ever since I started, I have wanted to spar and train with the big names and been willing to travel to different gyms to get those learning opportunities. I spar the best because that is the level I want to be at.
Powar has gained a huge amount of support on-line and from the Sikh community around the world. But he is a Wolverhampton boy and wants to encourage all the local kids to get involved in the sport regardless of their heritage.
He added: “My support has grown organically, and I want to build a real legacy. There aren’t many Sikh fighters, so I want more to take up boxing, but I want people from every background to be able to take something from my journey and, hopefully, I can plant a seed that inspires them.”
*Tickets for The Takeover are available now priced at £40 standard and £80 VIP from the boxers directly or by emailing info@bcb-promotions.com.