GB Boxing’s Patrick Brown, who was born and raised in Sale, discusses his amateur fighting career and ambitions in the ring ahead of the First Olympic Qualification Tournament to be held this weekend in Milan, Italy.
When walking through the doors into the GB Boxing gym at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport, all eyes are immediately met by the constant ticking of a large digital clock.
It lists the days, hours, minutes, and seconds left until this summer’s final lighting of the Olympic torch at Paris 2024 – seen not only as a countdown but as a target for Britain’s finest fighters.
Sale-born Patrick Brown is one man who observes this irrepressible passage of time more than most, as he aims to earn his ticket on the Team GB ferry heading towards the River Seine this summer.
Between 3 and 11 March, the 24-year-old heavyweight will compete for one of 59 coveted places on offer at the First Olympic Qualifying event to be held in Milan.
The heavyweight fighter has been dreaming of this opportunity since a tender age – and has resultingly developed a fierce taste for waging war in the ring.
“I started boxing when I was seven years of age in my dad’s gym at Sale West ABC, and I had my first amateur fight when I was 11,” Brown told Mancunian Matters.
“I’m 24 years old now, so in all those years I’ve had about 70 fights or so.
“It’s all I’ve ever known, to be honest, and I’m always around it.
“Every single day there’s something to do with boxing coming up for me.
“It’s always on my mind, and I’m always thinking about it, watching it, and doing it.”
This remarkably early start and sheer desire for the sport has led the self-declared ‘big version of Ricky Hatton’ on a remarkable journey in the world of amateur boxing.
Before being invited to join the GB Boxing training scheme in March 2022, Brown battled his way to two national ABA titles at senior level and held ambitions to attend Tokyo 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic cut his efforts short.
Since his enrolment on the prestigious GB programme, the 24-year-old’s achievements in the ring have hit new heights – including a well-earned gold medal at January’s GB Open in the Steel City.
During his run to the podium at that competition – which was designed to replicate this summer’s boxing event – Brown put in a ‘bout of the day’ performance with an outstanding victory over Nigeria’s already-qualified Adam Olaore at the semi-final stage.
Brown is all smiles when discussing that particular fight – not least because it gave him the opportunity to do his friends and family proud in front of the BBC Sport cameras.
“It was great to experience and be a part of,” he added.
“I’ve not boxed at home for way over a year, so it was nice to just have my family to come and watch me.
“It was also on the BBC, so people could watch at home too.
“That definitely made it a lot better for me.
“But it was a little bit daunting to be performing in front of the cameras.
“Usually, we’re going to all these different countries and there’s not many cameras in your face.
“You’re usually just there to fight!”
Such media attention is something the heavyweight may soon need to get used to – especially following his move from Sale West to trainer Nigel Travis’ Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club.
Travis currently assists renowned coach Jamie Moore, who has trained the likes of Carl Frampton, Jack Catterall, and Chantelle Cameron.
The growing opportunity to enter the glimmering lights of professional boxing is something Brown has in his sights, and he is more than open about wanting to ‘turn pro’ at some stage after his ongoing Olympic conquest.
But until that day, all eyes are on the golden prize before him – alongside the chance to do his family and friends back home proud.
“I’m definitely aiming to go all the way at Paris 2024,” Brown said.
“I just want to get that ticket and then look for the gold medal – I want nothing less.
“It’s also great to represent my local community.
“They all get behind me, and at my dad’s boxing gym they all know about how much work my family put into the gym and the kids, so it’ll mean to world to me to show everyone all the hard work that people have helped me out with.
“I’m in a position where I can really show it.
“I just want to give back to my family, friends and everyone who has helped me out and show everyone it’s possible to get in my position.”
If he truly wants it, the time to show his desire is now. After all, a certain clock is ticking.
Image credit: Andy Chubb
