Perkins spars all-comers - even OAPs! by Tom Podmore Apr 28th 2008

Birmingham heavyweight Neil Perkins keeps fit between bouts by sparring with Old Age Pensioners! The undefeated Brummie sees action over four rounds on First Team's ‘Young Guns' card at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall this Wednesday (April 30) and will look to build on an impressive debut performance that saw him win every minute of every round against Pudsey's Lee Mountford. Perkins runs his own fitness gym, Fighting Fit, in the Second City and regularly lets white-collar fighters, some of which are females in their 60s, have a little spar in the ring – if they want to at least. But his community-friendly work doesn't get in the way of his boxing and he intends on putting on another decent show this week. “I'm really eager to keep winning, keep putting in good performances and seeing where this [professional boxing] takes me,” said a former doorman who won nine of eleven bouts in the vest and headguard. “My work in the day is really important but so is my boxing, which means the world to me at this moment.” Although anxious to encourage all walks of life to his Cotteridge-based fitness centre, he won't let anyone and everyone in: “If somebody new wants membership, and they immediately say it's because they want a fight, then I know that's not the kind of client I'm looking for,” admitted the Errol Johnson-trained heavy. “That's not what it's all about. I love boxing, and I want to educate people who don't know much about it, encourage them to appreciate the difficulty and demands of the sport. And some people think they can turn up and start knocking people out. Again, that is not what it's all about. “Ninety-five per cent of my clients are just using boxing as a fitness programme, mainly because they know boxing is rightly perceived to be the fittest of all sports – not just combat sports. Only five per cent of those want to get involved in boxing at shows. Whatever, I'm there give them help and advice. “And you can embrace the ethos of the sport without getting hit,” Neil continued. “What I don't want is people who are just after a bit of aggro. Luckily we have a lot of policemen who come in to work out, including the Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police. “When I mention that it scares off the wrong elements.” And the former Priory Park ABC stylist, who worked well off the jab when outpointing experienced Mountford over four rounds on his paid bow at the Wolverhampton Civic in February, thinks he knows why people in the world of business want to get involved in the brutal world of boxing. “The corporate world is so sterile and dull, this gives them a slice of authenticity,” said the Sheldon-based ticket-seller, boxing on the undercard of Dean Harrison's eight-round acid test against Stoke-based Gary ‘The Body Snatcher' Reid. “We have firms coming here from all over the place for bonding sessions. “It's very satisfying for a young office junior to get the chance of giving his boss a proper smack in the mouth,” added the undefeated 26-year-old with a grin. Tickets are available from Paul (PJ) Rowson on 07976-283157, Errol Johnson on 07852-268333 or the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 0870-3207000.

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