Sowe: The time has come for hard fights

Elliott Sowe…surprise defeat on Saturday night on home show

TYSELEY rail worker Elliott Sowe doesn’t want easy rides, he wants tough, 50-50 contest.

“I may just start calling people out,” said the popular welterweight.

Strangely, it’s a demand that comes only days after Sowe, trained by Anthony Hull, tasted surprise defeat.

On Saturday night at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, Owen Durnan, a tough Sheffield scrapper who is better than his now 3-9 record, outpointed Sowe over four rounds.

He ended the bout like a steam train, landing big shots in the last session, to take a 39-37 decision. Sowe, in contrast, looked as if he was running out of steam. Referee Chris Dean called it correctly – and there were no complaints from Sowe.

Other boxers would like to ease back against an undemanding opponent, but the loss appears to have convinced 26-year-old Elliott it’s time to roll the dice and take gambles.

“It’s come to a stage where I’m asking for hard fights,” he said. “I’m not here for an easy win, I want to take the best, 50-50 fights. If I want to do something, I need to take some chances, there’s no point sitting around and hoping for the best.”

Sowe, managed by Jon Pegg, “turned over” in 2021 without amateur experience. His only other points loss in a nine bout career is understandable: Telford’s Kirk Stevens is a very tough man who went on to win a Midlands title.

Last Saturday’s contest was Sowe’s second this year and initially intended to be his first six rounder. The way Durnan finished suggested the decision to reduce the rounds may have been a blessing.

He also fought just twice in 2023. In contrast, Durnan is booked to take part in two more fights this month and three in November. It’s not hard to see why he has more losses than wins.

Defeat has not dented Sowe’s self belief. He said: “I’ve got the tools, yet not many have seen them. It’s my mind I need to work on. I have the power, strength and skills. Remember, I came with no amateur background so I’m playing catch-up. That’s a massive disadvantage.”

Sowe is adamant he knows exactly where it went wrong at the weekend.

“I was dealing with a lot of things in the run-up, I was dealing with a lot of big issues even on the day of the fight,” he said. “I had it all planned out, it got took down to four rounds and that meant new tactics. When I was in there, my mind was just gone.

“I should’ve easily beat that lad with my skills, but I got sucked into a fight. I looked unfit in the last round, yet I’m one of the fittest lads around.

“I started perfect and strong, I think I edged the second round. The fourth, I got sucked into a fight and tried to brawl it out, I got sucked into a dog fight. I got hit with some good, clean shots, but nothing I couldn’t deal with.

“It is what it is. Once he hit me cleanly, my mind switched and I tried to drag it out. That’s what happens and that’s what I need to work on.”

Defeat may have slowed his career, but Sowe – a man who works on the trains – stressed it has not derailed his hopes.