Mendy says it is not about the money for him but his way of life

Berkshire boxer Patrick Mendy says he is on a 'mission' to be a world super-middleweight champion.

The 19-year-old faces the biggest challenge of his career when he takes part in the Prizefighter series at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Wednesday.

Mendy told BBC Berkshire: "I have a mission and I need to be a champion all over the world.

"I love boxing more than anything in this world so that's why I'm going there to win it."

Mendy added that he had a clear plan in his mind.

"Within two or three years I'll be the Commonwealth champion and after that I'll be the British champion then I want to be the world champion - that's my aim.

Mendy will be the youngest-ever fighter to have taken part in the Prizefighter series, but says that does not concern him.

He continued: "I don't rely on experience, I rely on my training. I train the hardest you will ever see - there's nobody who can train as hard as me, that's the most important thing.

"I just go for it, I can sacrifice everything just to win a fight.

"I'm ready to go out and destroy and get my win. They don't need it as I do because boxing is my life, I live boxing."

Mendy is highly-rated by his trainer, Jim Evans, who also looks after former British heavyweight champion Michael Sprott.

Mendy says Evans has been vital to his development since coming to Reading from Gambia.

"For me he's not like a coach to me he's like a dad because he looks after me and he makes me train hard every day," said Mendy.

"My brothers are in America and wanted me to go to America. I said, 'No my dream is here, to box here, you guys can go.'

"I came to Berkshire, to Reading, to find out how boxing is. Jim Evans was here and he is very good so I said 'OK this is my place then' and that's why I stayed in Reading, where I've grown up."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version