Like a lot of young Geordies Tommy Hodgson dreamed of one day playing for his beloved Newcastle United.
Now he wants to fight for a world title at St James Park!
Hodgson, bearing the nickname Hitman as he embarks upon a professional boxing career, actually made it onto the first rung of the footballing ladder.
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"I was very good at football and had trials for Newcastle," revealed Tommy. "At the age of 13 when I first started boxing I was playing football at a high level but my career took off in another direction.
"Mind you in my very first bout I was sick during the fight and the referee had to stop it!"
Hodgson has remained a devoted United fan - one of his promotional pictures is of him in a black-and-white striped shirt on the St James pitch.
His lofty ambition is to become world lightweight champion crowned at St James' Park surrounded by his loyal and noisy NE29 following, most of whom have followed him since his amateur days as part of Team GB.
The 25-year-old from North Shields is currently preparing for his fourth professional outing on February 12 at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on what he hopes will be a journey to the very pinnacle of his profession.
He is undefeated at 3-0 - early days in his career but Tommy already has the industry on watch. Dennis Hobson who has promoted the careers of Ricky Hatton, Clinton Woods and Jamie McDonnell to name an illustrious few went on record to say Tommy’s debut was "one of the best professional first-timers I’ve seen in my 30 years of promotion".
Hobson intends to feature Hodgson and another North East fighter, Wallsend's Anth Ornsby, on a Newcastle bill early this year.
"We truly believe we have a record breaking world champion in the making," revealed Hobson.
Hodgson had more than 70 bouts as a top amateur. His roll of honour includes being a former Team GB member, a Senior ABA Champion, and representing England on multiple occasions.
He began at North Shields and moved on to Howdon before switching to one of the most famous amateur clubs in the country, Birtley, to work with star maker Graeme Rutherford.
Tommy is currently under the guidance of Dean Laing and Ross Wilkinson at Tyneside Boxing Club.
"This kid excites me," added Hobson. "He's got a bit of everything - spite in his punches, he's agile, has a great boxing brain and was a top amateur. He’s also got a big fanbase. With our blueprint of manoeuvering fighters into titles Tommy is a great bet to win something major."
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