Tompkins: pro aims to lead by example

Todd Tompkins…has his second fight in Cannock on Sunday

TODD Tompkins is a fighter committed to “leading by example” – he wants to show kids at his community gym the importance of staying healthy and on the straight and narrow.

The southpaw super-middle gives another lesson to those youngsters on Sunday. Todd will have his second pro bout on Scott Murray’s open show at the Premier Suite, Cannock, with seasoned and well-travelled CJ Wood in the opposite corner.

Todd hails from Rushden, Northamptonshire, where his Titan fitness gym is based. He’s managed by Jon Pegg and fights out of Birmingham’s Eastside gym. In fact, the apprentice pro has been wrongly billed as a Brummie.

Back home, the 27-year-old has gained plaudits for his workshops, anti-knife crime initiatives and fitness programmes.

He wants, through his own career, to show the sport’s positive benefits.

“Boxing helps me in this circle of positive energy and fitness,” he told me. “I can’t teach the kids about this positive pathway if I’m not doing these things myself. I’m leading by example.

“I’m not just fighting for me, but for the people in my community, the kids and stuff, which is good.”

The community appears keen to back Tompkins. He sold 120 tickets for his winning debut against tough Welshman Steve Davies on GBM’s big Skydome, Coventry, show last month. Todd took every round of the four rounder.

He’s turned pro after a brief and modest, 10 bout amateur career with Kettering ABC. From there, Todd turned to the unlicenced circuit and won 10 on the spin.

He may be short on experience, but Todd makes up for that with a real passion for the game.

“I love boxing, I love the buzz from it,” he said. “It’s a dream come true to move up to the pros and I’m giving it everything I’ve got.

“I want to make it my life – to get paid for it is a dream come true. I’m an aggressive southpaw who likes to throw lots of shots, I like to throw big shots. The power is there, I just need the right opponents in front of me.”

And whatever Todd goes on to achieve, that first fight has provided lasting, treasured memories. “All the hairs on my arms and neck stood up,” he said.

“Some fights, you can walk to the ring in a trance. But when I heard my walkout song, my eyes opened more and I felt alive. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

“I felt switched on, all the hard work came down to that moment. I heard all my fans, I embraced it, I was hypnotised.

“I was really pleased with my performance. It takes two to tango and Steve Davies is a tough man, he comes forward, he gave it everything. I needed that. He gave me a real taster of what the pro game is going to be like. I stuck to my boxing, it was an entertaining fight.”

In an era where every new pro seems to predict a title laden future, Todd is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

“I’ll go as far as my skill levels let me,” he added. “I’ll go as far as my body will allow me to go.”