Bridlington’s new professional boxer James Precious is “delighted and relieved that’s out of the way” in describing his entry to the paid ranks as he beat London’s Robbie Chapman over four rounds on a show at Hull’s Doubletree Hilton. Precious is looking forward to his second bout at the end of January in Barnsley, scheduled over six rounds.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said twenty-four-year-old Precious. “Nothing seemed to move quickly, and even a couple of weeks before, I still hadn’t got all the required clearances, but I needed to take the risk. I’ve planned to box as a pro for quite some time. It was a bit nail-biting, but I sold my fight tickets, all 120 of them, and in the end, everything worked out, and we took a coachload to Hull. I’m so grateful for the support, and from what I’ve been told, people enjoyed the fight and have seen some of my potential.”

“We saw the best in James,” said Leeds-based manager Wayne Woods. “His power, his speed. He’s explosive. He’s an exciting boxer on the front foot. James had to wait while all sorts of background issues were sorted, but it was worth it, as his debut was entertaining and impressive. Honestly, the sky’s the limit for him.”

“Any nerves turned to excitement as I walked out to the tune of Most Precious Love by Blaze,” smiled Precious, who’d weighed in at just under 78kg for the light heavyweight match. “I’d trained so hard I was determined to enjoy the bout and showcase the skills I’d learnt. Boxing is so much more than brawling. It’s not called sweet science for nothing. I hope I displayed a high boxing IQ, which I’m keen to develop. What a buzz when my win was announced.”

Precious began boxing aged ten and competed in over 60 amateur bouts. “I won the majority. Then I lost my dad when I was 17. It affected me. I went into a downward spiral and didn’t really do much boxing for a few years. As a young adult I realised that I needed to prove to myself just what I could do, so I got back into boxing and won a few amateur titles. I gained the confidence to compete as a pro. I’m grateful to all who’ve coached me and most especially Damien Grant and David Widnall and my strength, conditioning and nutrition man Rob Murray.”

Precious lives with his mother and works as a joiner at Reds10 in Kellythorpe. “I’m his number one fan,” said Mum Pat Precious. “I can’t put into words how proud I am of my son. This sport has helped him through tough times to become the young man he is. As for his dedication to training while waiting patiently for this debut, well, that’s James.” Precious himself is also “grateful for my employer’s ongoing support, including paying for a training camp in Tenerife.”

A few months ago, Precious and fellow Bridlington boxer Zac Stabler raised £1650 for CYP Bridlington as they took on the Special Forces Challenge in the Brecon Beacons, the ‘Fan Dance’. According to James, “This was a tough physical challenge over 24 kilometres and carrying 16 kilos. I was proud to come within a minute of the overall fastest. Zac and I learnt to box at CYP, so we're keen to support the valuable opportunities provided. If anyone wants to donate to them to mark my debut, they’d be grateful.’

All elite athletes require sponsorship and ‘Bridlington born and bred’ Precious appreciates the ongoing support of Stabler Waste Management, Westgate Clinic, It’s Just Concrete and Rob Murray Coaching. Other potential sponsors should contact James via social media or at jamesprecious@outlook.com or call 07842 533728.