Ardreal Holmes Jnr, overnight, has become the most important name in Australian boxing.
Or close enough.
Understanding in Holmes you have a fella who is not only an undefeated 6’2’’ southpaw, or a fella with four Golden Gloves titles, but since turning pro in 2016, a Michigan native who has fought 15 times, never tasted defeat and is increasingly being talked up thanks to his size, reach and other “God given ability” – including a long, stinging jab.
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Which is why before you woke up on Tuesday this week, Team Tszyu were buying him a plane ride into Las Vegas.
While he may be unknown to even the most hardcore Aussie boxing fans, Ardreal Holmes Jnr – aka, Boss Man — is undeniably the man that matters after signing on as a last minute sparring partner for WBO super welterweight king Tim Tszyu.
For weeks now, Tszyu has been sparring in preparation for American superstar Keith Thurman – the former world champion who, smaller than the Australian fight star, likes to box and move.
But then, you may have heard, Thurman withdrew.
With his spot taken up by the incredible presence that is Sebastian Fundora, aka The Towering Inferno.
An oversized pugilistic puzzle who stands 197cm tall and boasts a 203cm reach.
And on just 12 days notice … well, how do you prepare for that?
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Which is why even before news of the Thurman withdrawal broke officially, Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings was on the phone and scouring the States for oversized southpaws who could mimic the Inferno, long touted as the division’s Next Big Thing.
It didn’t take long to land at Holmes Jnr.
With the rangy fighter one of two Americans who have been whisked into the world’s fight capital for what will be only a handful of days of late sparring and preparation.
And as for the second man in?
That honour belongs to 6’3’’ Washington southpaw Mykal Fox.
A 28-year-old who, dubbed ‘Professor’, went undefeated in his first 19 professional bouts before more recently taking a handful of losses against quality opponents to now boast a record reading 22-4.
Holmes, meanwhile, is 15-zip.
Hailing from a boxing family, the fighter who calls Flint his hometown took up the gloves aged 11 and, apart from those four Golden Gloves titles, also won gold at the 2015 US National Championships.
Ranked No.1 in the amateurs at 147 pounds, the now father of a young son – Ardreal Holmes III – is both a longtime fan of Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns and matchmaking curse for his manager, David McWater.
“Nobody wants to fight southpaws, especially tall, tricky, smart ones,” McWater once said in an interview.
“It’s always been an issue.”
Yet for the same reasons, this also makes him perfect for Tszyu.
Asked once about his style, Holmes said: “I think I keep my distance and pot shot really well.
“Just staying at the range I want to be at.
“If I want to be in close, I’ll be close.
“If I feel you’re uncomfortable with me being close to you, I’ll take it to you.
“But if I feel like it’s better to stay out, I stay out.
“It really depends on the opponent.
“But once I get comfortable, I win.”
In recent years, Holmes has spent a lot of time sparring former world champion Tony Harrison, who Tszyu famously needed just nine rounds to demolish inside Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena last March.
Back in his amateur days at the Berston Field House, the Michigan product also sparred many rounds with Clarissa Shields, that now famed female boxing superstar whose own career also started in the same boxing and basketball gym.
Asked once about their unlikely partnership, Holmes explained that given he and Shields were always around the same weight, and with no local girls able to hang with the future world champ, Holmes would often get the call to step in.
Rising steadily through the super welterweight ranks, Holmes has over time attracted a whole heap of praise from people who matter including, ironically, American great Zab Judah.
Back in 2001, of course, Australian boxing great Kostya Tszyu famously iced Judah within two rounds inside the MGM Grand for arguably the greatest win of his career.
Now it is Tszyu’s son seeking assistance from a fighter who, on the night iced a fella named Brian Goldsby within a round, and a straight left hand, for what would then be his fifth career win, also had the same fight great sat ringside.
“I like him,” Judah said of Holmes. “He’s a good kid and, if he works hard, he will be at the top soon.”
Only last month, Holmes earned his 15th straight win when he needed just two rounds to finish Detroit native Marlon Harrington.
“Not to sound cocky, but I expected to win like that,” the fighter said afterwards.
“I’m not going to lie though and say I expected it that soon.
“This fight put me back into the championship mode I need to stay in”.
A ‘championship mode’ too, that could eventually take him all the way to Tszyu.
A fighter whose SOS he has answered this week.
Source Agencies
