Kal Yafai gets off to a busy start with Matchroom

Exciting bantamweight prospect Kal Yafai (1-0) is relishing a busy start to the new season. He talks exclusively to James Hernandez about fighting in big arenas and the joys of leaving the vest and head guard behind.


The Birmingham fighter has two bouts lined up for September, appearing on the Darren Barker/Tony Bellew co-headlined card at the Alexandra Palace on the 8th before crossing the Irish Sea to box on the Carl Frampton v Steve Molitor Belfast show on the 22nd.

Yafai is then scheduled to appear on the Kell Brook undercard in Sheffield on October 20, and again on the Nottingham Carl Froch bill on November 17 as the IBF champion makes his first defence. Credit to his promoter Eddie Hearn for delivering regular dates.

“I've been training hard this week in Essex and I can’t wait,” enthused Yafai, who is under the careful tutelage of Tony Sims.

“You obviously learn a lot of things in the gym but I think you learn more in having fights - getting used to those big crowds, the weigh-ins and how it all works.”

After representing his country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and then earning silver at the 2010 European Championships, missing out on this years' London games was a big disappointment at the time for Kal. Having already qualified, he lost to Welshman Andrew Selby in a box-off for the flyweight slot.

“As one door closes another one opens, and I am very much looking forward to this new chapter in my life,” he said.

Making his professional debut on the Kell Brook v Carson Jones bill in July was the perfect tonic, and he was impressive in stopping seasoned journeyman Delroy Spencer.
The Wolverhampton veteran, 44, simply couldn't live with Kal’s fast hands and repeated blows to the body, and retired after the second round - his 13th stoppage from 140 losses against 14 wins.

Over the years, greats like Ricky Hatton and Mike McCallum regularly dished out punishing body shots, and it looks set to be an effective weapon Yafai's armoury.

“Throughout my amateur days I always liked to go to the body of my opponents - it’s one of my main strengths, but I am still looking to build on that and also my all round game too.”

“When I spoke to Eddie Hearn before the fight he told me not to go looking for the KO as he (Spencer) doesn't often get stopped.

"I was happy to have got a stoppage in my first fight, but I also wanted to stay in there for longer and get more rounds in.

"But this is just the beginning and I still have a long way to go.”

Kal is no stranger to boxing in front of big crowds from his amateur days, but the atmosphere he experienced at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield is one he’ll remember for a long time.

“It was a massive night for me on a top quality card, and I just wanted to go out there to show everyone what I am capable of doing. I'd boxed before in front of packed crowds at the 2008 Olympics, but it was nothing like the intensity of the atmosphere in Sheffield that night.

"The crowds in this country really like to get involved. Even in the changing rooms when I was warming up all I could hear was the crowd.
“I got in there and felt really comfortable. I’ve had 170 amateur fights and I’d never felt as comfortable as I did in my first pro fight. It felt so good not having a vest and head guard on."

Yafai revealed that preparations were a lot more intense in the build up to a professional bout.

“All my sparring sessions were with top quality Team GB fighters from flyweight to lightweight. I sparred Luke Campbell, Andrew Selby, Josh Taylor and Joe Cordine. The speed they box at at that level meant I had to spar at a lightning pace over eight hard rounds, so it was solid preparation and I felt great for it.”

With the experience of his first fight now under his belt, is there anything Yafai will look to do differently when he reappears at the Alexandra Palace?

“I will look to take my time a bit more just to get me moving and boxing. That’s what I keep getting drummed into my head - it's all about being able to box, and that’s what I will be looking to do.”

Because of his considerable Amateur experience, the plan is for Yafai to box four-threes for the last time on September 8, before stepping up to six rounder in Belfast and then progressing to eight-threes in October and November.

It’s still early days but with a solid team around him and a highly decorated amateur pedigree, Yafai seems destined for great things.