Beattie knuckles down despite hand injury blow

Stevie Beattie was all lined up to have his sixth professional boxing match next weekend '“ instead he's going on the run.
Stevie Beattie. Pic by Michael GillenStevie Beattie. Pic by Michael Gillen
Stevie Beattie. Pic by Michael Gillen

The Slamannan fighter was lined up on the bill of MTK Scotland’s ‘Ambition’ night at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, but has had to pull out due to a hand injury.

Not to be put off or even one to rest on his laurels – he’s instead keeping himself ticking over outside of the ring and preparing for a tilt at the Stirling Marathon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He told The Falkirk Herald: “I had been hard at it in the gym with some intense training for six weeks since Christmas time but then got hit with the injury.

“It’s affected my knuckle when I’ve been sparring and I gave it a rest. Now, I haven’t thrown a punch in three weeks and it’s the right decision to cancel the fight.

“I went through my first year injury free, I was very lucky that way with no problems, but this time it’s my first fight of 2017 and I don’t want to risk anything. It is the right decsion. I’m in this for a long career. I’m not wanting to rush things uneccessarily.”

The boxer, nicknamed ‘The Buzzsaw’ for his frenetic style, is still working hard – but outside of the ring – and has lined up a run in the Stirling Marathon in May, the weekend after his next expected fight.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That’s always been a race I’ve had my eye on, and my brother (Ryan) has done it before.

“I’ve kept up my road running even though I’ve been out of the gym for a while and this has given me a focus to work towards and keep me going.

“I have aimed to get under three hours and since it’s so close after my next fight I should be in the best possible shape and condition to have a go at it.

“With next week’s fight being off I am expecting to be back in the ring in May for a fight at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow. There’s another date pencilled in for July and that’s the plan for the first half of the year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The injury has obviously affected this spell of training but I’d usually take a few weeks off after my fight before I get into preparing for the next one so the rest will hopefully do my hand some good and benefit me in the long run.”

Disruption for organisers MTK Scotland (formerly known as MGM Scotland) has also been kept to a minimum with Beattie’s opponent for the Meadowbank date still unconfirmed prior to his enforced withdrawl.

He said: “I had been working really hard and gave it a couple of weeks but it was getting closer and closer to the fight and I realised we were cutting it too fine.

“Hopefully it’s just wear and tear and I’ll be back in shape for May’s fight. I don’t want to do anything that would hamper it, or any future fights, as I said, I’m in this for the long haul.”

Related topics: