Basingstoke boxer Judd and team looking for capital gains in next bout

BOXING coach Rocci Williams says he knew protégé Fynnlie Judd was a talent after overseeing a martial arts session with him as a schoolboy.

Williams, who owns Team SBJ gym in Basingstoke, first met Judd as a teenager where he spotted his talent for combat sports at an early age.

From there, Judd continued to practice in MMA as well as boxing and Jujitsu, before a back injury curtailed his promising start in the sport.

However, Judd was still able to box and after honing his skills further, the 23-year-old welterweight has since become a professional boxer and won all three of his bouts so far.

Judd is set to return to the ring in July, where he will face Ivan Njegac at London’s iconic York Hall

“I teach mixed martial arts and was teaching a kids class back in 2011 – it wasn’t boxing, it was just a self-defense thing and Fynnlie came along when he was about 15-years-old.

“From the first lesson I said to his mum that he is going to be a champion.

“From that session I could see what I call ‘fight readiness’. They might not necessarily be skillful because they don’t know the techniques but there is a natural readiness.

“The only thing he wasn’t too good at was kicking. I know he did a bit of messing about with his cousin but when we trained in that first session he had a natural speed and head movement.

“That’s where his original nickname ‘The Natural One’ came from because everything came to him naturally.

After recently receiving his licence, the bout also means Williams will be able to be in Judd’s corner for the first time, something he believes will only improve the 23-year-old’s performance on the night.

“It’s a box ticker to fight at York Hall. He has fought in environments like that when he was on the white collar scene,” he added.

“It’s going to be a good one for us both to experience together, helping him call the shots and him looking stylish doing it.”