LOOKING again, Rendall Munroe finds causes to be glad he didn’t change into a world champion.
“I turned pro [in 2003] because [late uncle Dave] ‘Sticky’ [Pratt] said: ‘You’ve got a kid and you need to make some money out of boxing,’” he mentioned. “Dad advised me: ‘When you get titles, then the money will come.’
“The objective was to earn sufficient cash to have a home to stay in and have one other one to hire out. If I had gained the world title and made two or three defences, I’d have finished that, however the place would I be now?
“I would be just roaming around doing nothing with my days. Because I didn’t win the world title, I go into schools working with kids and have my own gym. I believe that is what I was meant to do – and I’ve ended up with two houses anyway.”
Munroe, who gained Commonwealth and European super-bantamweight titles and challenged for the WBC belt in his 34-fight profession, all the time did make sense of setbacks – “things happen for a reason” – and believes there was that means behind a glum-looking Joe Ducker strolling into his fitness center in Leicester a couple of years in the past.
Munroe and Ducker skilled alongside one another on the Shinfields’ fitness center from the place “The Boxing Binman” fought all through his professional profession and Munroe mentioned: “Joe is the rationale I bought my coach’s licence. He got here in my fitness center in the future and didn’t look blissful and requested me to prepare him. I wasn’t positive I might do it.
“I nonetheless get a buzz from sparring and thought I wouldn’t give you the option to spar if I used to be a licensed coach. I went to see the Board and so they mentioned: ‘Of course you can spar your fighters. It should improve them.’
“I got my licence and started training Joe. He won one, lost one and asked me if he was good enough to win the Midlands title. I told him: ‘Of course you are.’”
Munroe was proved proper, Ducker taking the Midlands Area light-weight title off Ishmael Ellis in Solihull final July with a 10-round factors win. Ducker seems set to resume his professional profession after a well being scare and Sean Bruce is the most recent addition to Munroe’s secure.
“I remember Sean as a good amateur [with Earl Shilton ABC] and he said he was boxing unlicensed to rebuild his confidence,” mentioned Munroe. “I told him: ‘You’re wasting your time boxing unlicensed. You’re too good for that. You should turn pro.’”
Bruce has his second professional battle on supervisor Carl Greaves’ present in Leicester on March 11 when one other of Munroe’s fighters, Lianne Bush, will even be matched.
Munroe says coaching fighters has saved him from the temptation of returning to the ring. Always a health fanatic, Munroe entered pure physique constructing competitions after retiring in 2014 after defeat to Josh Warrington and toyed with the concept of combating once more.
“I could still fight again,” mentioned the 42-year-old, “however I wouldn’t get the identical alternatives. I don’t need individuals paying me to get their identify on my report. I’m not too proud to rise up and go to work like everybody else.
“I might receives a commission £50,000 for a battle – and spend all of it on hospital payments.
“There’s always fresh blood coming through on the conveyor belt and I decided to step off with my head held high instead of falling off it and having people talk about how good I used to be. People end up remembering you the wrong way if you carry on too long.”
Rendall Munroe and Sean Bruce
Munroe will likely be remembered as a fighter unlucky to miss out on winning a world belt. He had two wins over Kiko Martinez in European title defences and on a memorable evening in Coventry in April 2010, he thrashed Mexico’s Victor Terrazas, who went on to win a model of the world title.
“When I got my chance (to win the WBC title), I had to go to Japan (to challenge Toshiaki Nishioka in October, 2010). If you look at the end of the fight, I started crying and punched my corner. I knew that was my big chance and I might not get another.”
Martinez bought extra alternatives after Munroe beat him twice. Munroe took the European title off the Spaniard in Nottingham in March, 2008 with a majority factors vote and 11 months later, he dished out a 12-round beating in Barnsley.
“I tell people: ‘Don’t write Kiko off,’” mentioned Munroe. “People seem to think: ‘He’s been around forever, he must be ancient,’ but he wasn’t that old when I beat him. He was 21 years old the first time I beat him and I was 27.”
More than a decade on from their two fights, Martinez remains to be combating, whereas Munroe has discovered a new focus.
“I get the same enjoyment out of training,” he mentioned, “and I don’t get punched within the face anymore! As a fighter, I used to be world class, however I’m nonetheless an apprentice as a coach, I’m nonetheless studying. When I boxed, I used to be all the time watching fighters who I wished to be nearly as good as and now I research the coaches who’re on the high.
“I have the insight because I’ve been there and done it myself.”
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