Boxing: Lavelle out to put months of frustration in past

Lavelle will box on manager Mickey Helliet’s show at The Coronet in London’s Elephant and Castle on Friday, July 6 – and the 20-year-old lightweight will be unleashing nine months of frustration when he hears the opening bell.

Lavelle has endured a frustrating time since turning professional but is now set to get his career going in earnest following him signing up with one of London’s most prominent stables with new manager Helliet.

“I haven’t boxed for a while and it’s been very frustrating,” said Lavelle.

“I just want to get in the ring and start throwing punches. I wish the fight was tomorrow. I want to keep boxing regularly and keep winning.”

Lavelle has been matched with Giuseppe Daprato – but don’t tell him.

“I don’t take any notice of who I’m boxing,” he said. “My dad knows my opponent’s name – but I don’t. I just concentrate on what I’m doing.

“I don’t want to spend hours studying videos because then I will get in the ring thinking about what he’s going to do.

“I’ve read that (WBO lightweight champion) Ricky Burns has the same attitude – and it works for him.”

Even though he doesn’t study his opponents, Lavelle is a student of boxing.

He spends his spare time studying ring legends on YouTube and said: “Boxing is my life – and always has been.

“I was five years old when I first went to the gym – and I’ve been going ever since.”

His father Gerry runs St Gerard’s ABC in Chichester and his uncle Billy had more than 50 amateur bouts.

“They all know what I’m going through,” said Lavelle. “Everyone on my dad’s side of the family is involved in boxing, so it was a natural thing for me to do.”

Tickets for the show are available from 07922 630270.