'First Economides, then the Lonsdale' says Bradford battler Doherty

As Matthew Edmonds once again crashed to the canvas and Shaun Doherty jumped up on to the ropes in the neutral corner to celebrate winning the British Masters super-bantamweight title in February, a number of things crossed my mind.

Would Shaun pay for my shirt after his blood had stained my new white top during the fight?

Also, rather self indulgently, ‘Wow, I did say in my last review that he was far better than his record suggests, you know your stuff Dobbing.' (Even a broken clock is right twice a day - Ed.)

But one thought dominated all others and went through my head like the blows that had won the Bradford lad the title. ‘Let’s get the Economides fight on again and this time let’s get it for a title.'

It made pure sense. Twice the previous year Doherty had faced off against Economides and twice he had come off second best. Both times however, the referee had scored it by just a point. These fights had been over the four round distance and both decisions were called questionable by a number of people. Economides would go on later in the night to lose to Robbie Turley for the Welsh title. That was it; it just had to happen, everybody benefited.

Seven months later we are there and we await one of those small hall scraps that could get national acclaim. On October 15th, Doherty defends that British Masters title against Paul Economides. For Doherty this is huge, it is his opportunity to right what he considers certainly one wrong. Despite carrying a record of 3-5-3 (1KO) the Bradford man has skills to burn and no little power. Skills which were evident from a young age.

“I was eight years old and my Dad took me down the gym. They told me I was a natural and I stuck at it. I represented England when we boxed France, I got to two national finals, getting robbed twice and I won about 13 or 14 Yorkshire titles.”

These seemed the credentials of a real top quality young pro. But those who have followed Doherty’s career will know that the transition to pro did not go as well as maybe he had anticipated. Two defeats and a draw in his first three fights would make many a young fighter, especially ones who had excelled as amateurs think twice about their chosen profession. For Doherty though, there were no concerns that he had chosen the wrong career path.

“I always knew I had it in me. I was on a learning curve. Maybe mine was steeper than some others but I knew I was good and that it would come right. I also knew I was going to benefit from having longer fights, the sprint didn’t suit me.”

Looking closely at the record, one of those defeats came against Stephen Russell, the man who snapped Economides’ unbeaten record. Doherty lost by a point, Economides was knocked out in a round. You can see why Shaun still believed in himself.

Things did turn themselves around in the end, as was predicted by the camp. A couple of good wins led to a match against the then unbeaten Ross Burkinshaw, a future British title contender. Doherty was able to get a draw, with many ringside believing he had deserved the victory. Surely now his career would take off, wouldn’t it? Sadly not, and amazingly it would be nearly two and a half years before we saw Shaun in the ring again. Doherty explains.

“I got a back injury. I then got messed up and involved with the wrong crowd. Thankfully I had people around me who cared and got me back into boxing. I then decided it was time to give it my all.”

Shaun never told me what he got into and I never asked. For some people the past is a private matter. You do however suspect that getting him back on the rails is a victory in itself and a credit to the healing power of friends and boxing. Still, the world moves on in our absence, and in that intervening time period, for many Shaun was forgotten. That was until he got the late notice call to fight Paul Economides at the Reebok stadium in March 2010. It was Economides’ first bout since he had been annihilated by Stephen Russell and the Chester man had threatened to retire if he lost this fight. Economides came out on top in a war by a single point and carried on. Doherty may have been defeated but the local scene knew he was back and still had the skills.

He would go on to face Mike Robinson over four rounds next, and despite flooring his foe, once again he only came out with a draw. Still, judging by Robinson’s results against Ashley Sexton, that result is looking better all the time.

It was then that he got the call to face off against Economides yet again, this time in the city of Chester. Once again, after a titanic struggle, Economides was judged the winner by a single point. This time Doherty was livid, believing he had done more than enough to earn the victory.

“The second time I beat him hands down, but this time I have the longer fight, and those extra rounds are going to benefit me.”

No matter how anybody scored the fight it was obvious that after watching Doherty, he was a real talent. I had a gut instinct that he would go on to win a title, but never in my wildest dreams did I realise that his chance would come so soon.

Doherty got the call to face off against Matthew Edmonds for the vacant British Masters title just two months later. The fight was in Wales and Edmonds, a former British and Commonwealth title challenger was the big favourite. For Doherty however, there was always a real confidence that he could get the job done.

“I always knew the longer distance would be better for me and here was my chance. I had watch Jamil Hussain fight him a few years back and I had Jamil winning it before he dislocated his shoulder. I knew I would beat him if I got my chance. To be fair I thought he was older than he was, it was only the day before the fight I realised he was 26, but I didn’t care, I knew I had done all the hard work."

Fight night came and it all fell into place. Edmonds was stopped in the tenth and final round, Doherty was the new champion. Shaun remembers it like it was yesterday and noticeably sounded excited as he spoke about the fight.

“I had never done the ten round distance before so I paced myself. I knew I hurt him early with my jab so it was a case of keeping the pressure on him. When I caught him at the end I knew he had gone, the title was mine and I felt so good. I found the training harder than the fight!”

Now it is time for that piece of unfinished business called Paul Economides and Doherty, flush with his new found success is in no doubt what the result will be and what the future holds.

“As I keep on saying, the longer distance is good for me. I am going there to give him a boxing lesson. I want all my fans there because they are going to see a really good fight. Once I am finished with Economides I am going for that Lonsdale belt, that’s my next step.”

First up it is Paul Economides on October 15th. The Chester warrior will be no easy night's work for the champion in what will be once and for all, the test of who is the better man.

Let battle commence!