Introducing: Jamie Douglas

Earlier this month it was announced that Belfast featherweight Jamie Douglas would be turning professional.

Following a period on the semi-pro circuit, the Craigavon-based boxer has linked up with Boxing Ireland Promotions as they continue their northern expansion.

For Douglas, it is a move that just makes sense on a number of levels.

“I have been thinking about turning pro for a while now,” Douglas admits to Irish-Boxing.com in his first pro interview.

“I had been talking it over with Bernard [McComiskey, coach, pictured] and thinking about our options and I then got a call from Leonard Gunning about a pro deal and that’s where I met up with the NI Boxing Ireland manager Dennis Morrison and signed a deal.”

An amateur for over a decade, Douglas joins the pros with good experience having won the 2016 Ulster Intermediates.

Detailing his boxing background, he described how “I started boxing when I was 13 years old and my mum took me down to Alio Wilton at Eastside ABC on the Newtownards Road, East Belfast.”

“Alio pushed you to the limit and had you sparring most nights and from there I just fell in love with the sport.”

“Also, watching all the pros training there made me want to be just like them.”

“My mum would have drove me up to East Belfast three nights a week from were we lived in Lurgan. After a year or so there Alio got me in contact with Stevie Watson at Lurgan ABC and I started training and fighting from there for around three or four years and then moved to Gilford were I am still being trained by Bernard, Noel Doyle, and Justin Hill.”

While he feels like he has a calling in the pros, Douglas does not see himself as a come-forward slugger

The Ulsterman noted how “my fighting style does vary to be honest, I try to adapt to whatever way I can to get the better of my opponent and outbox them.”

“I can box well on the back foot but also have no problem coming forward and working on the inside or being the aggressor, I like to change things up and am always keen to learn new things and try different styles.”

“I think I will suit the pro game a lot better than amateur as I feel my style is a lot more pro boxing orientated, obviously there may be a few adjustments I’ll have to make but I look forward to working on that.”

“Me and Bernard have already started straight away by developing a new training regime and game plan.”

Douglas looks likely to debut on the soon-to-be-announced ‘Celtic Clash 7’ card but the grounded fighter isn’t one for making bold declarations or predictions.

He outlined how “my plan for short term is to focus on getting all the boxes ticked for my pro debut and long term I plan on building a good fight record and get myself some titles but I know that involves a lot of hard work.”

“I have no problem with that. I love the training and having a great team around you makes it fun and nothing like work.”