Billy Bird is a man with a secret – but says he is “buzzing” for the new year, writes Chris Lakey.
The Braintree boxer is back in the ring in Norwich this weekend, promising that news of a big 2018 fight will be revealed. Until then, mum’s the word for the popular 24-year-old.
“I can’t say anything yet, but for sure, next year is going to be huge for Team Bird,” he said.
“I am hoping Saturday will set me up nicely for the upcoming fight. It is top secret at the moment – all I can say is it is definitely going to be a very, very big year and I am buzzing.
“It is definitely not one to be missed and it is something we have all been working for, for a long time.
“(Trainer) Graham Everett rang me and told me about the fight but he didn’t even have to ask if I wanted it. I will fight anyone, it doesn’t matter who is it.”
- Bird wins title in his hometown
Bird’s commitment to the boxing cause is impressive: he travels up to Everett’s Norwich gym at least four times week, and has had to keep smiling in the face of adversity after a string of injury problems which kept him out of the ring for almost a year and a half prior to his return at Chigwell in September.
“I injured my right ankle sparring with Nathan (Dale) and I came back too soon and it messed a few things other things up” he said. “I had a back problem and then I did the same thing to my other ankle and it was just one thing after another.
“Then we had a little bit of a scare with the left eye when a little blemish came up and the Board (British Boxing Board of Control) suspended my licence until I got it sorted. We did and it was nothing, it was precautionary. Then I got my licence back and I fought in Chigwell. I went there as a kid to watch Lee Purdy box and it was nice to go back and say I’d boxed there now.”
Bird, who has 15 wins against just the one defeat on his record, returns to Norwich for the first time since March last year.
“I asked Graham to put me back on his show and he pushed it through and a big thanks to him and (promoter) Mervyn Turner for giving me the opportunity.
“It’s always been a pleasure to box there. I have always felt it is partly my home town and the fight nights are great for the city itself, let alone me. It is a privilege to be fighting here.”
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