Brad travelling REAL 'Rocky' road

THE MIDLAND BOXING BEAT WITH MIKE LOCKLEY

- 

HERE are shades of Rocky in the working relationship between Brad Coley and trainer James Thomas.

Like the silver-screen fight hero and his veteran trainer Mickey, their regime is no-frills. In an age of gleaming gyms crammed with hi-tech machinery, Birmingham's Brad trains in a garage with precious little sponsorship to aid his journey.

Like Sly Stallone’s character, the pair firmly believe they will emerge from the shadows of small-hall boxing and conquer the world.

And not just at one weight. Brad and James talk of titles at three weights - fly, super-fly and bantam. To that end, they travel the length and breadth of the country for top sparring.

“We don’t have much money,” Brad said, “but in the future I'll show I'm the one.”

Coley chases his seventh straight win on Saturday, August 16, on manager Anthony Manning's show at the Eastside Rooms, Birmingham. In the opposite corner for the six-rounder will be Manchester's Stephen Jackson, a 63-bout journeyman who is a fully-fledged super-bantam.

Coley, a natural flyweight, is used to facing much heavier men.

“The power is there,” insisted the 24-year-old, who has won all his contests on points. “I'm beating people who are three or four weights above me - and journeymen come to cover up.”

“The power is there at flyweight,” Thomas agreed. “But what is power? If you systematically grind someone down with body punches for six rounds, then take them down, that’s power. That's what Brad is learning to do. We are working on walking people down, it's a learning curve.”