A promising young boxer was left "buzzing" after his hero Tyson Fury invited him on a training run.
The world champion took Thomas Nicholson, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on the five-mile run after learning of his dedication to the sport. The 12-year-old, who has won five of his seven bouts and is currently preparing to compete in the prestigious Riviera Box Cup, and his brother Stephen, 14, met the star near his home in Morecambe.
The pair then accompanied Fury - who in April stopped fellow British heavyweight Dillian Whyte to retain his WBC world heavyweight belt - on a training run.
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Thomas said: "It was amazing to go on a training run with Tyson who is my absolute boxing hero. He chatted to me all the way round and afterwards asked me about my career and gave me good great advice on how I can continue to improve. I’m still buzzing from meeting him, and from getting to hold his title belt. He’s given me loads of inspiration to one day become a professional like him."
Thomas, a member of West Auckland Amateur Boxing Gym, was recently voted Best Overall Boxer and Best Junior at its inaugural awards ceremony. He and Stephen, together with seven others from the gym, will travel to Torbay in Devon in August for the annual Riviera Box Cup, which involves more than 50 boxing clubs, the majority based in London and the south of England.
The competition, for junior, youth, and senior boxers, is held over two days with clubs vying for the coveted gold cup. Thomas, who started boxing at the age of six, will compete in the 44kg category.
His dad Stephen Nicholson founded the boxing gym in early 2020, together with head coach Ernest Spowart, as a way of sharing their passion for boxing with local youngsters and providing the community where he grew up with a facility to be proud of.
Stephen, who is managing director of Bishop Auckland-based painting and decorating service S Nicholson and Sons, said: “It was extremely generous of Tyson Fury to meet Thomas and Stephen and give them some added inspiration as they prepare for the Riviera Box Cup. They are part of a team that is representing the North East and are looking forward to showing what they can do against some of the best amateur boxers that the South of England has to offer.”
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