Teenage Waterlooville welterweight hope Liam Wiseman takes step into professional boxing ranks with promoter Steve Goodwin

Liam Wiseman achieved his lifelong ambition of becoming a professional boxer but insisted: The hard work is just beginning.
Waterlooville's Liam Wiseman signing his professional deal, centre, with promoter Steve Goodwin, right, and father and main coach Daron WisemanWaterlooville's Liam Wiseman signing his professional deal, centre, with promoter Steve Goodwin, right, and father and main coach Daron Wiseman
Waterlooville's Liam Wiseman signing his professional deal, centre, with promoter Steve Goodwin, right, and father and main coach Daron Wiseman

The Waterlooville welterweight has signed a three-year deal with promoter Steve Goodwin as he bids farewell to the amateur ranks.

Wiseman, 19, revealed how his step into the pro game has been a year-and-a-half in waiting because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The former Cowplain Community School pupil, with a 32-12 amateur record, told how he had planned to turn professional aged 18, only for that to be put on the backburner the sport temporarily halted across the UK amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

But now Liam Wiseman, whose father Daron is his main coach and he trains out of his dad's Horndean-based Team Wiseman gym, has had his wish granted of becoming a pro fighter.

And he cannot wait to showcase his potential to fight fans, with a possible debut in December earmarked for the teenager.

Liam said: ‘My plan was to turn pro at 18 because I didn’t want to do amateur anymore. Getting all the way to finals to lose on a close decision - it was heart-breaking.

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‘I think I’ve definitely grown as a boxer (during Covid), I’ve used the time off wisely, I’ve definitely become more of a schooled pro than an amateur.

‘My whole life I’ve been training towards going pro. It’s been good as an amateur, I wanted to do well, and I’ve done unbelievable - pretty much as much as I can around here.

‘The bigger picture was just to turn pro, always. It was always a learning curve as an amateur, we knew that in the end I was going to turn pro.

‘It’s definitely got me in the gym more (turning pro). For a year and a half I haven’t boxed - you’ve got nothing to work for.

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‘I’ve been given no dates and he (Steve Goodwin) said my debut could be in December. We’re just waiting on the British Board of Boxing Control to get my license and hopefully it should be in December (potential pro debut).

‘Again, it’s a date to work towards, I haven’t had any of that for a year and a half.’

Liam Wiseman says he also wanted to assess his options before making the commitment to go pro with a promoter.

Fellow Team Wiseman member Bailey Donald went into the full-time fight game with Goodwin Boxing promotions.

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And prospect Liam revealed how high manager Goodwin's hopes are for him in the pro ranks.

‘Like he (Steve Goodwin) said to me, if I’m not a TV fighter in three years I’ve done something wrong, that’s music to your ears, really,’ said the Waterlooville-based boxer.

‘A top promoter like that saying, ‘you should be a TV fighter within two or three years,’ I’m looking forward to picking some people off.

‘He’s kept an eye on me for a while (Steve Goodwin). I’ve kept my options open for turning pro, obviously I want to be in the safest hands possible, a lot of promoters have got their hands full at the moment with boxers turning over so you want to be in the best hands possible.

‘My team-mate Bailey Donald, he’s turned over with Goodwin (Steve), and for the two years he’s been there he’s been in good hands etc.’

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