The Outsider

Against all odds, the quiet and reserved Sam Bowen has worked his way to the British title. And even in an era where loudmouths and publicity rule the day he’s not about to start blowing his trumpet now.

- Matt Bozeat

It wasn’t the most promising start to an interview.

“I’m not really one for shouting my mouth off to reporters and on social media,” said British super-featherweight champion Sam “Bullet” Bowen. “I’d rather be training than playing on my phone or telling everyone what I’m going to do. I’d rather just get on with it…” All well and good, but it left me wondering how to fill the next couple of pages. Fortunately, others have been rather more forthcoming about Bowen’s qualities.

“He’s a psychopath,” said one former opponent. And manager/trainer Carl Greaves is another to recognise the animal within the 26-year-old from Leicestershire.

“Sam doesn’t get tired,” said Greaves. “He’s a machine.” Then there are the rumours of Bowen bullying super lightweights in the gym, a chin that’s never let him down in 107 amateur and 13 pro fights.

Partly because of his reputation, Bowen, a non-TV fighter with a TV fighter’s record, has taken an unusual route to the British title he captured by mauling Maxi Hughes in Leicester in April.

Before that, the Board did match him for the English championship and in British title eliminators, but to Bowen’s frustration, every fight fell through.

“They all had a reason for pulling out,” said Bowen, opening up at last. “They didn’t fancy fighting me. They were taking other routes to avoid me, but that’s pro boxing. They want to get as far as they can without fighting anyone.

“Zelfa Barrett withdrew from an English-title fight against me, then he went on to win the English title and move on, while I was stuck fighting six-rounders.”

These pull-outs meant that Bowen went into his fight with Hughes at Leicester City Football Club’s King Power Stadium with only 12 fights and 33 rounds behind him.