Gym trip saved me from gang war
ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN was marched to a boxing gym at the age of 12 to keep him away from the gangs of south London.
When his cousin was stabbed to death by a rival gang, Isaac’s mum took immediate action.
Now Chamberlain is preparing to headline London’s O2 Arena next Saturday night against cruiserweight rival Lawrence Okolie.
He said: “I grew up where there was a lot of gang and knife crime.
“My cousin died from gang violence after his GCSEs and my mum didn’t want me to go down that route, so she brought me to the boxing gym and I never looked back.
Guidance
“I saw some terrible things but it is what makes you as a human and a fighter.”
Chamberlain, now 23, fell instantly in love with the sport and smell of the gloves in Miguel’s gym in Brixton.
It is there that he trains under the guidance of his uncle, the former European light-welterweight champion Ted Bami. Now Chamberlain is ready to make a name for himself in a headline night at the O2.
He said: “This is a chance to become a big name already.
“But the ultimate aim is to become a world champion, become part of boxing history.”
Rio Olympian Okolie is in Chamberlain’s sights and the Londoner added: “He talks too much rubbish.
“He just likes to think he is better than he is. He thinks he is God’s gift but I am going to knock him down a peg or two.”
Chamberlain is riled by Okolie because he feels Olympians are often given preferential treatment when they turn professional. Okolie, who only started boxing after 2012, was signed up by Anthony Joshua’s management company and given a deal by promoter Eddie Hearn.
He has an unbeaten record of seven wins and is now facing Chamberlain, who has not lost any of his nine professional bouts, with the two men clashing early in their promising careers.
Suffered
But the Brixton-born fighter has had a much tougher road to this point having come through the amateur ranks with little fuss and no fanfare when he turned pro in 2015.
There have been some tough fights already for the cruiserweight, including his 2016 win over Wadi Camacho.
Chamberlain – who counts pop star Ellie Goulding as one of his fans – suffered a dislocated shoulder in the third round but managed to recover to earn a win on points.