Sam Rennie had an incredible time trading shots with Kell Brook and Leigh Wood.
On May 30, at Thunderdome 50 in Metro City, Northbridge, Western Australia, the warrior will attempt to make history by becoming the first ever boxing champion from the Isle of Man, when he takes on Asyer Aluman, for the WBC Australasia Silver Super Featherweight title.
The opponent marks a substantial step up in competition for Rennie, who’s going into just his fourth professional contest.
But having sparred some of the best in the business, the talented prospect is more than confident that he has the skills to get the job done.
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Sam Rennie had a fantastic time sparring Kell Brook
During a trip of a lifetime, when he was just 14 years old, Sam Rennie flew out to the Spanish island of Lanzarote to train with an array of decorated boxers.
The remarkable experience inspired the Manx sportsman to start taking the fight game seriously, leading him down the path towards the biggest fight of his life.
In an exclusive interview with Bloody Knockout, he admitted: “I was thinking, ‘What am I doing’? I’d be solid for the first two or three rounds, boxing like an amateur, you’ve seen a difference between a pro-style and an amateur style, especially across long rounds. They were a lot bigger and older.
“Kid Galahad was about to fight for an IBF world title, Leigh Wood is a multiple-time world champion, Atif Shaqif was at a very high level, Kell Brook, I don’t even need to say what he’s done in this sport.
“Sparring these lads was a big confidence booster. In the changing room for my next amateur fight after this, I remember thinking, ‘This lad is nothing compared to the boys I’ve been in with’.”
“Just seeing how they train and their mentality towards the sport, it flipped a switch in me.”
Sam Rennie reflects on his experience sparring with Jackson England
A few years after training in the Canary Islands, the prospect made the decision to travel all the way to Australia.
Alas, his time in the country hasn’t all been easy, as Rennie had to battle through homelessness. But refusing to give up on his dreams, he eventually ended up in Perth, where he met Jackson England, who made a kind gesture that the up-and-coming boxer will never forget.
The super featherweight explained: “I’ve met some great fighters. When I first got to Perth and I had no money, I was fresh off a bad spell. I didn’t have a groin guard or any sparring equipment.
“I was sparring Jackson England, he’s looking to fight Anthony Cacace or Leigh Wood, or any of the top dogs, and I think he’s more than capable of winning a world title.
“Just before I sparred him, I was sparring another lad, and he noticed I didn’t have a groin guard, and he gave me his with his own initials, and he just said, ‘Keep it until you get your own, don’t worry about it’.
“I’ll always remember that. When you’ve got a lad at that magnitude giving the lesser-known lads the time of day [it’s amazing]. He’s one I message all the time, and I have a lot of time for him.”
Like Rennie, England was once just a boy with a dream. Now, ‘Action’ is on the cusp of fighting for world honors. And unsurprisingly, similarly to his training partner, he improved through his own rounds with more experienced fighters.
In an interview with Bloody Knockout, England discussed what it’s really like to spar George Kambosos.