Nadeem Siddique: ‘I’m walking around with a title-belt on each shoulder’ by Terry Dooley Jun 14th 2007

When Nadeem Siddique powered to his first titles against Tye Williams in May the Ingle-trained fighter was more than a little bemused by the absence of his prizes, the Central Area Title belt and the British Masters title-belts. Such concern for what many deem two trifling titles sums-up Nadeem's newfound dedication to the sport. Previously, by his own admission, Siddique had not really given boxing his undisputed attention. Nadeem lives a comfortable life outside the ropes, he is not in the game scrabbling for cash so, understandably, motivation may not be high. Or so it would appear. However the truth is to be found in Nadeem's concern over his missing titles on the night. A fighter can be comfortable from a financial perspective, as Siddique is, yet still dream of one-day hearing a ring announcer declare him as a Champion. BBN spoke to Siddique and during the course of an often entertaining conversation the lively Bradford fighter outlined his new-found dedication to boxing and made it clear that the winning of that which money cannot buy, sporting acclaim (well Chelsea aside), is what spurs fighters on. Firstly Siddique talked about he most important matter on his mind, his missing title belts. Nadeem Siddique: ‘‘I won the title but there were no belts there that night so I was a little bit peed-off with that!' This error was rectified the following week at a fight between Ryan Rhodes and Paul Buchanan where Nadeem was given the belts he had so long desired. NS: ‘It was nice to get the belts, it means a lot, (not getting the belts) was like winning an FA cup medal with no FA Cup, I thought ‘stuff like this always happens to me' but now I'm walking around with one on each shoulder everywhere I go.' People may downsize the area titles yet the truth is that on any given night any title can be a bugger to win depending on circumstance. For Sid the Area/Masters titles are the start. You can end up meeting tough guys for these belts; therefore the winning of one should not be greeted with a roll of the eyes. NS: ‘People forget how tough it is winning area titles. Any title is hard to win depending on who is put in front of you.' ‘Looking at it realistically the area title was a big goal for me and it means the world to me and to win your first belt is a big achievement. When Ricky Hatton won it (they said) it was the best belt around. When I win it (they say) it is not. Jawaid Khaliq won the IBO title-belt and it was nothing, when Lennox Lewis and Ricky Hatton won it (it) became one of the biggest belts around. That is boxing for you.' ‘It (the Area belt) looks good around my waist, it is a good-looking belt so I'm not bothered about what they say.' As we were speaking over the phone I had to take Nadeem's word over the sartorial boost the belts are giving him, I asked, instead, about how he felt wearing the tag of Central Area Welterweight Champion and British Masters Champion. NS: ‘I'm loving it. I come from a very small town in Bradford and they are very proud of me. Regardless of what anyone says I am undefeated and Central Area Champion and British Masters (as well) so I am doing well. If people say take a step-up in class I will do it no problem.' So, if someone says Nadeem is making a big deal over his titles he has a response ready to hand. NS: ‘I couldn't care less what people say. I am happy, I am healthy, I enjoy boxing and my family are happy – I hope you can put that down for me. I am enjoying life so that is what is important to me. The rest can kiss my arse. I don't care what they think to be honest.' At this point Nadeem pointed out that the best fighters in Britain get a lot of stick on the Internet so what chance does he have? NS: ‘You can‘t win, Amir (Khan) put boxing on the map and got the general public involved. If it wasn't for people like Amir Khan, Junior Witter and Ricky (Hatton) boxing wouldn't make the back pages yet you go on Internet sites and they are slagging them off!' Nadeem built-up his record fighting some relatively modest opposition, guys you are expected to beat and who will rarely throw an upset into the mix. Three fights with Jason Nesbitt and three with Daniel Thorpe point to this yet throughout Nadeem has maintained that with his talent and support he can net the big fights. He took a sabbatical after his last bout prior to Williams – a bad-tempered fight against David Kehoe – and came back a year later with one aim, to succeed in his boxing career. Plus, happily for his chances of getting regular fights, he sells a lot of tickets. NS: ‘‘People come and support me on small shows so if you get the big fights you (will) have no problems getting people to support you. I want to thank Kaiser Khan and Shoaib Khan, they sold a lot of tickets for me for nothing (last time out) and did not have to do that.'' This support may stem from the fact that he is an ambassador for his local community. Fighters from close-knit Asian backgrounds can potentially rally an entire community into their corner and Nadeem is no different. Siddique also feels the Amir Khan impact has had a big effect in terms of fostering positive publicity for Asian cultural figures here in the UK. NS: ‘No doubt. Who did we have? Lets be fair we have Amir and some cricket players but we haven't got any football players, we haven't got any movie stars, we just had a few people on Eastenders. We are desperate for role models (in the press) and need people like Amir Khan and me.' ‘I don't drink and I don't smoke. I am fit and healthy and I am in good shape and that is what kids want to hear. They see me driving a nice car, I've got a nice girlfriend and that is what kids want to see as well. If the kids see more Asian people doing it (boxing) and making a career out of it they can look at boxing from a different point of view.' Keeping busy plays a big part in Siddique's plans for the rest of this calendar year. NS: ‘By the end of this year I want every promoter and boxing fan to have seen me fight. They can say ‘right, we know he can talk the talk so lets see if he can walk the walk, lets see if he can fight' that can get me motivated and I can prove myself, no doubt about it, I have confidence.' Whilst preparing to talk to Siddique the idea that he was a confident sort had began to form in my mind. His nickname hinted at this fact, he calls himself ‘Sid The Golden Boy'. NS: ‘You have to have confidence because boxing is a business and we are products. ‘Golden Boy Sid' is all about putting bums on chairs and that is what I try to do. I always have a DJ at my fights, a magician, and a comedian (in the past). For the after-fight party we have a big meal in a restaurant for all the people who bought VIP tickets.' Along with his manager John Ingle Sid has big plans for the marketing of his boxing career, as well as pointers for boxing in general. NS: ‘UFC is really hurting boxing now because they (UFC) are plugging their sport and making it exciting. They have the music, the glitz and glamour and the fireworks.' ‘We want people to walk out of our shows knowing they have got value for money. People want more than going to a sports centre where they only put four or five fights on and we try and do that.' So far Sid's career has only furnished four stoppages, although three have come in his past six fights. Sid, though, believes he has KO power aplenty. NS: ‘I always felt if guys come at me to win they will take chances and I can KO them. I am an attacking counter-puncher, like Junior Witter. I like them to leadoff and if they make a silly mistake they go to sleep. If you fight guys who come to cover-up and take the money you fight down to their level and I know that.' Talk returned to that fourth-round win over Williams, once again Sid was jubilant about his title triumph, he spelled out what it meant to him with admirable enthusiasm. NS: ‘‘I had a dream of being a Champion since I was twelve years old. It (the win) may not mean much to some people but it meant the world to me. It was a fantastic achievement for me and something I had dreamed-off since (I was) a teenager.' Talk moved onto other areas of boxing, Sid had told BBN that he loved fighters like Sugar Ray (both of them, I imagine Seales was not on that list), Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Junior Witter and Ricky Hatton yet for some reason a certain fighter was singled out for praise. NS: ‘‘Oscar De La Hoya, ‘Golden Boy'. Simply because – whether people admit it or not – Oscar De La Hoya gives value for money. He could have won every fight by keeping it long but he gets stuck in there and doesn't duck anyone.' ‘After Sugar Ray Robinson I'd say – in my opinion – Oscar was the best boxer of all time because he fought anyone and that is what I rate.' With that said Sid must still be hurting over the Mayweather fight? NS: ‘From a boxing point of view Floyd won the fight but it was a big fight with the world watching so I think Oscar deserved the fight (for forcing it). Floyd is quick and brilliant so what could Oscar do apart from make the fight and throw the punches. Lets be fair, if Oscar worked his jab a little bit more he'd have probably won the fight.' Before ending the conversation BBN asked Sid about two of his favourite fighters and their current non-fight. Junior Witter is a friend of Nadeem's and Sid admires Ricky Hatton a lot. NS: ‘I don't have any loyalties. I just want to see them fight to prove to the public who will win! That's all I want to know, who will win this fight!' ‘Yeah Junior is my mate, yeah I know Ricky Hatton but bollocks to that it is a fight I want to see because styles make fights. To me no one has tested Junior Witter because he is too good and Hatton would give Junior that fight.' ‘I want to see Witter and Hatton fight. I want to see a big exciting fight and sit at ringside for all the excitement. I am a boxing fan and that is what I want to see. I would like to see John Murray against Amir Khan as well, two unbeaten fighters getting it on as well. That is what boxing is about.'

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