OUT TO IMPRESS PAC MAN
Hoddesdon’s Tom Welland heading to Asian Games in the hope of winning place on Philippines national team
THE new Manny Pacquiao could be a teenager from Essex!
Hoddesdon featherweight Tom Welland has enjoyed a real purple patch, winning his last 15 bouts since September, all by either unanimous points decision or stoppage.
There was a spell towards the end of last year when Welland had nine bouts in 10 weeks in four different countries – and won them all.
There was a jaw-dropping one-punch KO on his senior debut in Sweden that’s had thousands of views on the internet and in Cardiff last month, Welland scalped Owain Harris, bronze medallist at last year’s Commonwealth Games.
Days after the win over Harris that secured England’s 7-5 win over Wales, Welland revealed he has been asked to train with the Philippines national squad that is funded by Pacquiao.
The plan is for the 18-year-old from Wickford to be sent to Asian Games in China in September where places at next year’s Paris Olympics will be contested.
“I’m half Filipino,” explained Welland, who teamed up with Sab Leo at Hoddesdon around December, 2021 after previously being at West Ham.
“My mum is from Philippines and somebody from the Philippines got in touch with me.
“They saw me box at the King of the Ring in Sweden and said: ‘There’s a place on the Olympic boxing team if you fancy it.’
“I’m going out for five weeks to train with the team and then there’s the Asian Games in September.
“If I get a medal there, I qualify for the Olympics. Manny Pacquaio is funding the boxing team so I’m sure he will be floating around. I think he will like my style.”
Welland said: “I’m a left-handed orthodox boxer and can box southpaw, like Pacquiao. England haven’t really shown much interest in me. I’m not a stand up, straight puncher. I’m a rough, inside fighter and Great Britain don’t really like that. I went for World Championship selection and they picked the boy who stood up and boxed over me. I thought: ‘Maybe this isn’t for me.’
“The Philippines got in touch over Christmas and I couldn’t turn this opportunity down.
“I think any English boxer in my situation would do the same. My face didn’t seem to fit at GB and I didn’t have any other options. I was looking for a different avenue and then this came along.”
Next for Welland, who won Best Youth Boxer at both the HSK Box Cup and King of the Ring tournaments last year, is the NACS that start later this month.
Given his form, he clearly has nothing to fear and his last win was one of the best on his 35-3 record.
“I fight at 57kgs and it was made at 55kgs,” he said of the match with Harris.
“I came down from 60 kgs and it was hard. The hardest part for me was making the weight, but I was 60 kgs by the time I got in the ring and I was bigger than him physically.
“It was a home show for him. He only loved 15 minutes away, so I knew I had to go and give it to him. I knew he was their golden boy. I caught him early and after that he was taking a step back all the time. He didn’t want to know. I think the knockout in Sweden got me a reputation. He saw that and wanted to stay away from my right hand and that allowed me to land body shots. I’m known for being a body puncher.”
The punch that knocked out 47-bout veteran Alvin Warukata in Sweden was a short right hand and Welland followed that with a unanimous points win over Nebil Ibrahim, who beat Niall Farrell at last year’s European Championship.
Welland gave him a count in the first round.
“I was 13 when I started boxing,” said Tom. “I was playing football for Cambridge United. They wanted me to sign up for the FA Youth League. They wanted me to do strength and conditioning and I went to a boxing gym.
“I ended up deciding not to sign the contract and I never went back to football. I’ve got mates at Spurs now who are on £20,000 per week. Boxing has to pay off for me now!
“I was never big enough to be a footballer anyway. I’m only 5ft 8ins and at 14 I was playing two years up against lads who were 6ft 3ins.
“And I didn’t like the idea of having a great game, the goalkeeper having a nightmare and me ending up on the losing side.”
Welland may not even be the best boxer in his own house, however. Teenage sister Ella starred at the Golden Girl Box Cup in Sweden. “She boxed people’s heads off,” said Tom, proudly.
“She beat two Swedish girl and then got an Irish girl in the final who she had sparred before.
“Ella was a bit nervous before the final, but she hit her with a right hand early on and then picked her off. Ella could end up at the Olympics as well.”