Gentleman John Thain
With only a few weeks to go before the boxing extravaganza Rule Britannia, John Thain took time out to speak to Pro Box Scotland.
In your next fight as a Professional you will be featuring on the undercard of Rule Britannia at Wembley, where your fellow countryman Ricky Burns and Nathan Cleverly are top of the bill on the 16th of March, how do you feel about being part the biggest British boxing show this year? “Gonna be a big event, I’m excited to be part of it, it’s going to be shown across the world”.
Has your opponent been named yet? “Yes, Jay Morris, from The Isle of White, he’s a tough guy, boxed 231 rounds and has 15 wins, he also knows who he’s boxing, I’m making sure I’ll be ready for whatever he brings to the table, he has given a lot of guys a tough night. It’s great that I know who I’m fighting because it gives me the chance to develop a game plan and work on techniques”.
How are you feeling about the fight? “I’m developing into a champion, my manager Frank Warren is seeing that I get the fights”.
Have you decided on your entrance song? “In my last couple of fights it’s been an old Motown song ‘Nowhere to Run’; I’d like to come out to something unexpected, unique, not the same as everyone else”.
Who will be in your corner? “Terry McCormack and Eric Brown, Terry has been in my corner in all my pro fights, I’ve got a really good thing going with Terry”.
How have you been preparing for this fight? “It’s basically always been the same, roadwork, groundwork, circuits, sparring; we try to add new things as well. Sparring is most important, I spar with the like of Tommy Philbin, Stevie Nicol, Aston Brown and David Brophy, I like to mix the sparring, it helps me prepare to deal with different styles”.
Why did you decide to turn pro? “I thought I needed a challenge, thought I was doing quite well but because of the training I was doing with Terry, I was developing into a pro. When the opportunity came I wanted to make sure I had a good base, good management team, boxing on cards that I’m gonna get seen on. I wasn’t known as someone that could be a pro, I had to change my training regime and this made me more focused, it’s been hard”.
Are you a full-time professional boxer? “Yes, at the start I was training through the day and doing private hire driving at night but I’ve given up driving, it’s always something I could fall back on. Now that I’m a full-time boxer I can stay more focused on the game, concentrate more on training, I believe I perform better in bouts the harder I train”.
Do you have a sponsor? “Edinburgh City Private Hire did sponsor me last year. Custom Made Boxing Shorts by Lubi is my main sponsor, she makes my outfits for the fights, the shorts are my design and it’s great she’s getting bit publicity herself”.
You train at Lochend Boxing Club with Coach Terry McCormack, John says? “The great thing about Terry is, he is the boss, each boxer has their own style and he just wants to improve the style you have, my style is a boxer and my aim is to win rounds by out boxing my opponent”.
I first met John way back in 2007 when he was boxing for Gilmerton ABC. The first thing that I noticed about him was that he is a walking talking self-contained encyclopaedia on the subject of boxing, not only that, he is one of the nicest boxers I have met, in fact he’s one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He possesses an array of punches that are a throw back to his hero’s such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ken Buchanan and Alexis Arguello, he has more tools than a plumber.
John told Pro Box Scotland “It all started for me when I was 13 years old, I always wanted to try it, my dad kind of tried to put me off by pointing things out like brain damage etc. My dad was a sailor and he would always phone me when the fights were on, he was always telling people I was a boxer, I didn’t know that till later”. Sadly John’s dad passed away before he could witness his sons dreams became a reality.
What success did you have as an amateur? “To be honest it did not start very well, I lost about 20 fights as an amateur boxer, however, my aim was to even this up as a senior. I was Scottish Light-Welterweight Champion in 2008. I was really hungry to get to International Events just like my friends, Jason Hastie and Stephen Simmons; I really wanted to be as good as them”.
Why did you decide to get into boxing? “It was actually by chance, watching the Rocky movie’s made me really want to try it. My friends were going to the gym, I had to beg dad to allow me to go, my family were against me boxing but when I started they did support me. They thought it was just a phase but I kept trying till I eventually got my first contest after 6 months training at the age of 14. Out of all the kids at school I was the least likely to start boxing and make a career out of it”.
John is very modest about his amateur career but he did share the ring with, Olympian and European Union Boxing Champion John Joe Joyce, he lost on points that night but that must have given him a right good boost knowing he could hold his own with the best.
Another significantly important fight was against Frank Buglioni, I asked John how he got on with Buglioni? “The fight was in Chigwell, London, I thought I was gonna be boxing someone else, however, in the parade before the fight this big guy came over to shake my hand, that’s when I realised I was going to be fighting him. It was an amateur 3 round fight so I was able to nip in and score a few good shots, I won the contest on points and I still speak to Frank to this day. I was giving away a bit weight, he was not as experienced as I was but he was very strong, always coming forward, I still have the video of the fight”.
Funny thing, John’s old foe and friend, Frank ‘Wiseguy’ Buglioni as he is known by now has a professional record that reads 7 wins, 5 inside the distance and no defeats, he is developing into a hot prospect and will also be on the undercard of Rule Britannia but he is now fighting at super-middleweight.
Your boxing career has taken you across the world were you have trained in many gyms, most notably being the Wild Card Gym, John says “Never been in a gym like it, anyone can walk in, World Champions, movie stars etc, they know how good the gym is. The sparring you get there is different class; you won’t get it anywhere else in the world. I sparred with top class boxers like, Jose Benavidez, Jamie Kavanagh, Michael Medina and Frankie Gomez, it takes you to another level, it’s the closest you get to a real fight”.
John’s last fight was at Meadowbank, Edinburgh, on the 8th of December, how did the fight go? And what did it mean to you? “I really wanted to box in Edinburgh at least once, that’s where I’m from, I’ve got a lot of friends here and the chance to fight on home soil was amazing. I lost a lot of fights in Edinburgh as an amateur so it was great that my mates could come along to watch me fighting as a professional. I hurt my right hand in the 1st round that didn’t help matters so I started working the jab more and as the fight progressed my hand felt better and I got the chance to throw more right handed shots, I could have performed better but I was glad to get the win, I was satisfied with my performance”.
You fought in the SECC in Glasgow, on the undercard of Ricky Burns v Kevin Mitchell, on the 22nd of September 2012, you fought Lee Noble who was a lot more experienced than you having had 39 pro fights, winning 15, what were your thoughts going into this fight? And how did the fight go in your eyes? “I knew I would be very fit because I was just back from the Wild Card Gym, I was lighter than him but felt sharper. I hurt both hands during that fight so I had to fight through the pain and focus more on shots to the body rather than the head. I then realised I was having more success when I went to the body, he was expecting head punches. I then worked out a strategy to keep him at arm’s length with the jab because he kept coming forward; I kept moving my head so he didn’t have a clean target to hit, I finished the fight stronger than I started”. During the latter stages of the fight John radically went against the fundamental principles of boxing when Noble kept pushing forward, he teed off with three right uppercuts that landed one after the other without reply.
Who has been your toughest opponent or opponents to date? Why? “Lee Noble, the situation with my hands, he was a tough guy and he came to win that night. Kevin McCauley whom I fought in my debut fight in Liverpool, I fought him again almost a year to the day and won the fight much more convincingly than the first and Joe Lovell, he was undefeated and he aimed to stay that way, I’ve not had an easy career to date”.
What are your favourite boxing films? “I like The Fighter and also The Raging Bull”.
What’s your favourite Rocky film? “I liked them all, if I had to choose I’d say the 3rd one where Apollo creed trains Rocky; he was an American football player before he was an actor, I like to do my research and I got him on twitter”.
Do you have any boxers in your sights that you would like to fight? “Not really, but I would like to box Ryan Rhodes”.
Where do you see yourself in 3 years time? I’d like to be a world champion, it’s the reason all guys turn pro and that’s what I’m aiming for. If you are chasing titles you will get there but if you are chasing money it will be hard, that’s why I remain focused on my dream of becoming a World Champion”.
What are your favourite quotations? “Always train hard because it makes fights easier, dedication, discipline, desire, you got to want to become champion and willing to overcome all obstacles, it’s not gonna be perfect every single day”.
Your mum is your biggest fan; will you be taking her to Wembley with you? “Hopefully, she has been to all my fights, it’s a shame, she watches through her fingers”.
What do you do in your spare time? “Training everyday becomes your life and everyone in the gym becomes your family but I do like to catch up with friends, chill out, movies, eat out, I don’t drink and never have”.
Do you have anything you would like to say to your fans? “I would like to thank everyone for their support because any support you get is very meaningful, I really appreciate people putting time and effort to come see me fight, even the people who come to watch me training makes it more meaningful for me. When I have won my pals have a great night and I would like to thank my sponsor, Custom Made Boxing Shorts by Lubi”.
Gentleman John Thain can deliver every punch in the book with speed and precision, this makes him a formidable opponent for anybody; he has a perfect record of 9 wins, 1 by way of knockout and no defeats.
Everyone at Pro Box Scotland would like to wish John all the best for his upcoming fight at Wembley.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
With only a few weeks to go before the boxing extravaganza Rule Britannia, John Thain took time out to speak to Pro Box Scotland.
In your next fight as a Professional you will be featuring on the undercard of Rule Britannia at Wembley, where your fellow countryman Ricky Burns and Nathan Cleverly are top of the bill on the 16th of March, how do you feel about being part the biggest British boxing show this year? “Gonna be a big event, I’m excited to be part of it, it’s going to be shown across the world”.
Has your opponent been named yet? “Yes, Jay Morris, from The Isle of White, he’s a tough guy, boxed 231 rounds and has 15 wins, he also knows who he’s boxing, I’m making sure I’ll be ready for whatever he brings to the table, he has given a lot of guys a tough night. It’s great that I know who I’m fighting because it gives me the chance to develop a game plan and work on techniques”.
How are you feeling about the fight? “I’m developing into a champion, my manager Frank Warren is seeing that I get the fights”.
Have you decided on your entrance song? “In my last couple of fights it’s been an old Motown song ‘Nowhere to Run’; I’d like to come out to something unexpected, unique, not the same as everyone else”.
Who will be in your corner? “Terry McCormack and Eric Brown, Terry has been in my corner in all my pro fights, I’ve got a really good thing going with Terry”.
How have you been preparing for this fight? “It’s basically always been the same, roadwork, groundwork, circuits, sparring; we try to add new things as well. Sparring is most important, I spar with the like of Tommy Philbin, Stevie Nicol, Aston Brown and David Brophy, I like to mix the sparring, it helps me prepare to deal with different styles”.
Why did you decide to turn pro? “I thought I needed a challenge, thought I was doing quite well but because of the training I was doing with Terry, I was developing into a pro. When the opportunity came I wanted to make sure I had a good base, good management team, boxing on cards that I’m gonna get seen on. I wasn’t known as someone that could be a pro, I had to change my training regime and this made me more focused, it’s been hard”.
Are you a full-time professional boxer? “Yes, at the start I was training through the day and doing private hire driving at night but I’ve given up driving, it’s always something I could fall back on. Now that I’m a full-time boxer I can stay more focused on the game, concentrate more on training, I believe I perform better in bouts the harder I train”.
Do you have a sponsor? “Edinburgh City Private Hire did sponsor me last year. Custom Made Boxing Shorts by Lubi is my main sponsor, she makes my outfits for the fights, the shorts are my design and it’s great she’s getting bit publicity herself”.
You train at Lochend Boxing Club with Coach Terry McCormack, John says? “The great thing about Terry is, he is the boss, each boxer has their own style and he just wants to improve the style you have, my style is a boxer and my aim is to win rounds by out boxing my opponent”.
I first met John way back in 2007 when he was boxing for Gilmerton ABC. The first thing that I noticed about him was that he is a walking talking self-contained encyclopaedia on the subject of boxing, not only that, he is one of the nicest boxers I have met, in fact he’s one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He possesses an array of punches that are a throw back to his hero’s such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ken Buchanan and Alexis Arguello, he has more tools than a plumber.
John told Pro Box Scotland “It all started for me when I was 13 years old, I always wanted to try it, my dad kind of tried to put me off by pointing things out like brain damage etc. My dad was a sailor and he would always phone me when the fights were on, he was always telling people I was a boxer, I didn’t know that till later”. Sadly John’s dad passed away before he could witness his sons dreams became a reality.
What success did you have as an amateur? “To be honest it did not start very well, I lost about 20 fights as an amateur boxer, however, my aim was to even this up as a senior. I was Scottish Light-Welterweight Champion in 2008. I was really hungry to get to International Events just like my friends, Jason Hastie and Stephen Simmons; I really wanted to be as good as them”.
Why did you decide to get into boxing? “It was actually by chance, watching the Rocky movie’s made me really want to try it. My friends were going to the gym, I had to beg dad to allow me to go, my family were against me boxing but when I started they did support me. They thought it was just a phase but I kept trying till I eventually got my first contest after 6 months training at the age of 14. Out of all the kids at school I was the least likely to start boxing and make a career out of it”.
John is very modest about his amateur career but he did share the ring with, Olympian and European Union Boxing Champion John Joe Joyce, he lost on points that night but that must have given him a right good boost knowing he could hold his own with the best.
Another significantly important fight was against Frank Buglioni, I asked John how he got on with Buglioni? “The fight was in Chigwell, London, I thought I was gonna be boxing someone else, however, in the parade before the fight this big guy came over to shake my hand, that’s when I realised I was going to be fighting him. It was an amateur 3 round fight so I was able to nip in and score a few good shots, I won the contest on points and I still speak to Frank to this day. I was giving away a bit weight, he was not as experienced as I was but he was very strong, always coming forward, I still have the video of the fight”.
Funny thing, John’s old foe and friend, Frank ‘Wiseguy’ Buglioni as he is known by now has a professional record that reads 7 wins, 5 inside the distance and no defeats, he is developing into a hot prospect and will also be on the undercard of Rule Britannia but he is now fighting at super-middleweight.
Your boxing career has taken you across the world were you have trained in many gyms, most notably being the Wild Card Gym, John says “Never been in a gym like it, anyone can walk in, World Champions, movie stars etc, they know how good the gym is. The sparring you get there is different class; you won’t get it anywhere else in the world. I sparred with top class boxers like, Jose Benavidez, Jamie Kavanagh, Michael Medina and Frankie Gomez, it takes you to another level, it’s the closest you get to a real fight”.
John’s last fight was at Meadowbank, Edinburgh, on the 8th of December, how did the fight go? And what did it mean to you? “I really wanted to box in Edinburgh at least once, that’s where I’m from, I’ve got a lot of friends here and the chance to fight on home soil was amazing. I lost a lot of fights in Edinburgh as an amateur so it was great that my mates could come along to watch me fighting as a professional. I hurt my right hand in the 1st round that didn’t help matters so I started working the jab more and as the fight progressed my hand felt better and I got the chance to throw more right handed shots, I could have performed better but I was glad to get the win, I was satisfied with my performance”.
You fought in the SECC in Glasgow, on the undercard of Ricky Burns v Kevin Mitchell, on the 22nd of September 2012, you fought Lee Noble who was a lot more experienced than you having had 39 pro fights, winning 15, what were your thoughts going into this fight? And how did the fight go in your eyes? “I knew I would be very fit because I was just back from the Wild Card Gym, I was lighter than him but felt sharper. I hurt both hands during that fight so I had to fight through the pain and focus more on shots to the body rather than the head. I then realised I was having more success when I went to the body, he was expecting head punches. I then worked out a strategy to keep him at arm’s length with the jab because he kept coming forward; I kept moving my head so he didn’t have a clean target to hit, I finished the fight stronger than I started”. During the latter stages of the fight John radically went against the fundamental principles of boxing when Noble kept pushing forward, he teed off with three right uppercuts that landed one after the other without reply.
Who has been your toughest opponent or opponents to date? Why? “Lee Noble, the situation with my hands, he was a tough guy and he came to win that night. Kevin McCauley whom I fought in my debut fight in Liverpool, I fought him again almost a year to the day and won the fight much more convincingly than the first and Joe Lovell, he was undefeated and he aimed to stay that way, I’ve not had an easy career to date”.
What are your favourite boxing films? “I like The Fighter and also The Raging Bull”.
What’s your favourite Rocky film? “I liked them all, if I had to choose I’d say the 3rd one where Apollo creed trains Rocky; he was an American football player before he was an actor, I like to do my research and I got him on twitter”.
Do you have any boxers in your sights that you would like to fight? “Not really, but I would like to box Ryan Rhodes”.
Where do you see yourself in 3 years time? I’d like to be a world champion, it’s the reason all guys turn pro and that’s what I’m aiming for. If you are chasing titles you will get there but if you are chasing money it will be hard, that’s why I remain focused on my dream of becoming a World Champion”.
What are your favourite quotations? “Always train hard because it makes fights easier, dedication, discipline, desire, you got to want to become champion and willing to overcome all obstacles, it’s not gonna be perfect every single day”.
Your mum is your biggest fan; will you be taking her to Wembley with you? “Hopefully, she has been to all my fights, it’s a shame, she watches through her fingers”.
What do you do in your spare time? “Training everyday becomes your life and everyone in the gym becomes your family but I do like to catch up with friends, chill out, movies, eat out, I don’t drink and never have”.
Do you have anything you would like to say to your fans? “I would like to thank everyone for their support because any support you get is very meaningful, I really appreciate people putting time and effort to come see me fight, even the people who come to watch me training makes it more meaningful for me. When I have won my pals have a great night and I would like to thank my sponsor, Custom Made Boxing Shorts by Lubi”.
Gentleman John Thain can deliver every punch in the book with speed and precision, this makes him a formidable opponent for anybody; he has a perfect record of 9 wins, 1 by way of knockout and no defeats.
Everyone at Pro Box Scotland would like to wish John all the best for his upcoming fight at Wembley.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
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