The Naked Truth: Nathan Heaney reveals the secret to his success

By Matt Bozeat

“FOR the previous few years, I’ve been saying: ‘I’ll give it another 12 months,’” mentioned the British middleweight champion. However I hold successful!

“This 12 months actually is a bonus. I’ve already carried out all the pieces I wished. The subsequent few fights can be enjoyable and hopefully I could make some first rate cash.”

Nathan Heaney has all the time been good enjoyable.

The bare-chested singalong to Tom Jones anthem Delilah on his stroll to the ring has had greater than 1,000,000 views and he was warned by a referee for singing throughout his struggle with Christopher Schembri in hometown of Stoke-on-Trent in March 2020. So, singing, sure. However when it got here to combating, nicely, it took a very long time earlier than everybody was satisfied.

“Individuals appear to have this notion that I’m not excellent for some motive,” mentioned the chatty and trustworthy 34-year-old. “I’ve been competing for practically 20 years and I’m enhancing. If you happen to have a look at the struggle behind closed doorways (in opposition to Ryan Oliver in February, 2021) I’m ranges above that now. I’m holding my form higher, not getting caught by as many foolish pictures.”

Heaney was adequate final November to tug off what Boxing Information referred to as British boxing’s ‘Upset of the Yr.’ He sank to his knees and wept tears of pleasure on the Manchester Enviornment after dethroning British champion Denzel Bentley on a majority factors vote. “No person thought I might beat Bentley,” mentioned Heaney, “however I knew Steve would give you one thing.”

Steve is Steve Woodvine, Heaney’s coach from the beginning of his professional profession, and he turned a social media star himself within the aftermath of Nathan’s win. Broadcasters TNT Sport put collectively a compilation of Woodvine’s in-between rounds cajoling that had 600,000 views on their Twitter web page.

Heaney and Woodvine first labored collectively in Heaney’s final newbie bout, a defeat to Zach Parker within the Staffordshire last of the 2015 ABA Championship. Woodvine was – and nonetheless is – head coach of Orme Novice Boxing Membership and handed as much as Heaney’s coach Danny Johnson in the course of the Parker bout.

“I used to be boxing for Stoke Staffs,” mentioned Heaney, “and (coach) Dave Buxton didn’t have a professional licence.

“I knew Steve had Luke Caci and he’s one in all my finest mates, so after I crammed within the type to use to be an expert and acquired to the part the place it requested who my coach was, I wrote ‘Steve Woodvine’ earlier than I had even requested him.”

Woodvine went together with the concept and Heaney’s professional profession began on the grandly titled Imperial Banqueting Suite in Bilston in November 2017, with a factors win over Daryl Sharp.

The Kings Corridor in Stoke would develop into Heaney’s house venue. Heaney would say his struggle nights there have been “the most effective night time out in Stoke” and if the locals’ concept of a superb night time out concerned noise, ardour and drama, Heaney by no means upset.

He would have his wobbles – particularly early in fights – however each time, he pulled via over 10 rounds till supervisor Errol Johnson handed him over to Queensberry Promotions. They’ve discovered that Heaney’s supporters have adopted him to Telford, Birmingham and Manchester.

“Stoke persons are good individuals,” mentioned Heaney, seemingly all the time excitable. “They’ve good hearts and can observe no matter makes the town proud.”

Occasions have been onerous within the space generally known as the six cities – Hanley, Burslem, Fenton, Stoke, Longton, and Tunstall – because the satisfaction as soon as felt within the pottery business that put the town’s identify around the globe has vanished with the closure of the kilns and an understaffed police power have struggled to deal with issues, together with what chiefs have described as “a monkey mud epidemic.”

Heaney is aware of all the above and tries to make his struggle nights as reasonably priced as attainable. “After I get a date, I privately message the fellows who commonly purchase off me,” he mentioned, “and when it’s introduced, I share it (on social media). All of them purchase their tickets off me instantly.

“I attempt to make it as simple as attainable and as low cost as attainable. If they’re travelling, I submit their tickets top notch recorded supply and each different ticket I drop off individually to their house handle.

“I attempt to do two postcodes a day and there are round 40-50 drops in every postcode. I don’t do bulk drop offs. It’s a whole lot of work, however I get pleasure from it. I hold going again to the identical homes. I see the place they arrive from.”

In return, his supporters get the most effective model of Heaney, each time he fights. The majority of Heaney’s supporters observe Stoke Metropolis Soccer Membership and he is aware of need they count on for his or her cash.

“I don’t thoughts us dropping 4-0 so long as I do know the gamers have put their coronary heart and soul into it,” he mentioned. “I do know that if I put my coronary heart and soul into boxing, it won’t be sufficient to make me a world champion, however my supporters will all the time be with me.”

His supporters have already seen Heaney win Midlands and British honours, the win over Bentley making him solely the third British champion from Stoke, after Tommy Harrison and the late Chris Edwards.

“I simply knew I used to be going to win,” mentioned Heaney. “Steve watched him and mentioned: ‘If you happen to maintain your ft in opposition to him, he’ll punch holes in you. ‘Janibek’ (Zhanibek Alimkhanuly) used his ft for six rounds (in opposition to Bentley in a WBO title defence in November, 2022) and it wasn’t aggressive, however as soon as his nook instructed him to push him again Bentley got here again into it.

“Steve mentioned: ‘Transfer your ft’ and within the first spherical I knew what he was saying was proper. I keep in mind considering: ‘I don’t assume he can shut me down.’ There was one spherical the place Steve mentioned: ‘You’re shifting, however not hitting’ and I began throwing extra.”

Heaney threw – and landed – sufficient to be forward on the last bell by six and three factors on two of the playing cards, with the third choose having them degree.

“The chances made it sweeter,” mentioned Heaney, married to Louise and a father to Ava (seven) and Isabella (two).

“It’s not as if I didn’t beat a professional British champion. There are simple fights for the British title after which there’s Denzel Bentley. If you happen to have a look at the highest 25 middleweights in Britain, there are some good fighters there. Denzel must be close to the highest – and I beat him. I’ve extra perception in myself now.”

Subsequent for Heaney is a British title defence, pencilled in for March and, supplied he wins that, there’s the opportunity of a world title problem this summer season on the Bet365 Stadium, house of his beloved Stoke Metropolis FC.

The goal is Alimkhanuly, who added the IBF belt to the WBO title with a factors win over Vincenzo Gualtieri final October.  “’Janibek’ isn’t a large draw and I don’t assume he will get huge pay days,” mentioned Heaney. “He may get one if he got here to Stoke this summer season. I do know there have been talks…

“If I fought him on the soccer floor, it could be the craziest dream ever coming true. If I can do this, anybody can do something. I get messages from Kazakhstan each two or three days saying: ‘’Janibek’ will knock you out’ and I do know it could be robust.”

Heaney leaves it there.

4 and a half years earlier, Heaney was equally evasive when the native press identified to him what number of fighters had used the Midlands Space middleweight title as a stepping stone to a shot at British honours.

“Yearly (as an newbie) I used to say: ‘I’ll win the ABAs,’” mentioned Heaney, “and it by no means occurred.

“So what’s the purpose in saying what you’re going to do? You simply must consider in your self. I might relatively be cautious than shout about what I’m going to do.”

The furthest Heaney acquired in his 90-bout newbie profession was a silver medal on the 2012 Haringey Field Cup.

“If you happen to have a look at my newbie pedigree, you’ll assume: ‘He won’t ever be a British champion,’” admitted Heaney. “However the expertise I gained was crucial. I’ve seen each single model there’s.”

No matter occurs in his first British-title defence and past, Heaney says he is aware of the place his story will finish.

“My final struggle can be on the Kings Corridor,” he mentioned, “and it will likely be very loud.”