The Incredible Holt Returns

‘Incredible’ Holt readying to turn Bedworth green in title warmup

“Write him off at your peril because he’s a special talent,” says Mark Wall of returning featherweight, Paul Holt.

Looking to put a shock KO loss behind him from his last outing, Birmingham featherweight, Paul ‘The Incredible’ Holt, 3-1, returns to the ring in Bedworth next month.

In what will be a warm-up for a Midlands title scrap with Ryan Corrigan the Brummie southpaw knows he has to eradicate the reverse suffered against Simas Volosinas to stand any chance of a result against Corrigan.

The 24-year-old said of his upcoming opportunities, and the instrumental roles being played by Coach Mark Wall and trainer Paul Fellows at the Prospects Boxing Academy: “I’ve learnt a lot from this (the loss to Volosinas).

“I feel faster, more aware and comfortable in myself and that’s to my coaches. The loss was one of those things and I had a lot going on personally which didn’t help, not that I’m using them as excuses.

“I know I was on top during the bout and I never had a scratch on me, I just switched off for a split second and the next I know the referee is counting me out – there’s just no excuses though, it was lucky for him that he landed that shot.”

Holding prior victories over the ilk of Michael Stupart and stablemate Michael Mooney, the shock loss last time out didn’t have a knock-on effect on his rankings.

For Holt his next opponent looks like being Northern Ireland’s 21-year-old super featherweight, Ben Mulligan, 0-5, who lost to fellow Brummie Sean Davies in his last outing over three months ago.

“He (Mulligan) seems a durable fighter,” Holt continued.

“I’m on fire though and know that I can do the business. I just need to work hard and keep my guard up because I know I’m not invincible and I know that now. I’ve always had the power so it’s just a case of working on footwork and keeping my hands up. So I will look at getting this one out the way then all roads lead to Corrigan and avenging the loss in the amateurs.”

Fight fans were taken aback by the loss to Volosinas, but Holt has learnt from his mistakes and knows what is needed to progress. Coach Wall added: “If he’d (Holt) boxed him another twenty times he wouldn’t have got caught like that.

“Holty was winning every second of every minute; he’s never been down or rocked in over 50 amateur fights; he’s been in and sparred big punchers like Michael Mooney and Troy James and not once been in trouble.

“This is probably a blessing in disguise and that it’s happened early in his career as it will make him more of a complete fighter. He knows now that this can happen and has took the complacency away, he’s more aware defence-wise, sharp, and started looking for openings behind the jab more instead of being gung-ho.”

When Holt appears in early-March he’ll have had extra guidance from trainer Paul Fellows under his belt. The Midlands-born trainer, also housed at the Prospects Boxing Academy said: “We’re making sure he has a much tighter defence and keeps those hands up.

“That and he’ll be able to adapt more in fights, break his opponent down and not rush through and go for a stoppage. Everyone will definitely see a different Paul Holt and the best is still to come – the defeat will show the measure of a fighter and how you come back from that. Fighting is in his blood and we (Mark and I) believe in him and he needs to know that.”

Paul Holt (Birmingham) will face Ben Mulligan (Northern Ireland) in Bedworth next month (March 28) at the Bedworth Civic Hall, tickets available from £30 standard with doors opening at 18:00.