Farrell’s career back on track
Poignant return to Bowlers for Nathan ten years after big brother Keiran’s final bout
ALMOST ten years after Keiran Farrell was forced to retire from the ring following his infamous bout with Anthony Crolla, younger brother Nathan is making great strides in revitalising his own boxing career.
Keiran had already made a big impression on the Manchester boxing scene when he stepped into the ring in December 2012 to take on Crolla for the English Lightweight crown at Bowlers Exhibition Centre.
The meeting of the two Mancunians attracted huge interest, the fight viewed as a pathway to national and international success for both boxers.
It was the 15th fight of Farrell’s professional career and, like his rival from down the road in New Moston, he went into the clash with an unblemished record.
However, what should have been a celebration of Manchester boxing ended in near tragedy.
After ten brutal rounds, Keiran was carried out of the arena unconscious on a stretcher, an oxygen mask covering his face.
It was later revealed that he’d suffered a near fatal bleed on the brain and, at the age of 22, Keiran was forced to retire.
However, it did not mean him quitting the fight game.
While ‘Million Dollar Crolla’ went on to reach the top of the sport, holding the WBA lightweight title from 2015 to 2016, Keiran set about building a legacy by inspiring others – including kid brother Nathan.
The brothers opened the People’s Gym in late 2013 and Keiran became a professional trainer, manager and promoter, his work in the community earning him the British Empire Medal in 2016.
Three years later, under the guidance of his elder sibling, Nathan had the first of three fights, winning every round – just as he did in his second and third bouts
Ironically, he boxed on the undercard of Crolla’s last ever fight at the Manchester Arena, beating Ivica Gogosevic in a super lightweight contest.
Everything pointed towards a promising future for young Farrell – until Covid struck.
And by his own admission, lockdown and the restrictions on living, training and competing proved an opponent he struggled to get to grips with.
“There was a lot of talk about me signing with one promotion or another and my hopes were raised by those noises – then Covid came around and it all went quiet,” said Nathan.
“It was a massively deflating experience for me and when I’m down I tend to get really down and it takes me a long time to get back up. I had a behind-closed-doors fight lined up but that was cancelled and it seemed to be one disappointment after another.
“There was also a lot of uncertainty around in the world at that time and I just fell into a routine of going out to work in the day tarmacing, coming home – no gym – and just eating.
“That went on months and months.
“I ballooned up to 14st 7lbs and my career looked stagnant. That was as recent as last December.
“However, I decided I wanted to fight on the April promotion so I resumed training in the new year after a period away from the gym due to poor mental health during the Covid period.
“This hasn’t been a long-term comeback, it’s been very much a lastminute comeback!
“The big battle was just making the weight.
“So the training camp for me was really a weightloss camp and I’d just go off and do my own thing, trying to lose weight.
“I managed some sparring towards the end of the camp, but not much. ”
Nathan succeeded with his eight loss goal, dropping three stone and last weekend he returned to professional boxing again on his brother’s Vicious 3.00 promotion at the very same venue for where Keiran almost lost his life ten years previous, Bowlers Exhibition Centre.
Though rusty by his own admission, Nathan had too much for opponent Craig Sumner and earned a points victory after four rounds.
“It was a big night for me, my brother and my family and yet another chapter in our already well documented life story,” he said.
“There was something very special about being back in the ring at that venue and celebrating a win with my brother.
“I want to put a tough couple of years behind me now and enjoy working with my brother again to get as far as I can with my career.”