Tyler Denny has come a long way from fighting at the Walsall Town Hall to Wembley Stadium in front of 96,000 boxing fans.
The 33-year-old was still working full-time as a plumber for Dudley Council until three years ago and will now be joining Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on the biggest stage on Saturday night, taking on the undefeated knockout king Hamzah Sheeraz in the night’s chief support.
Securing a life-changing payday and a place on one of the biggest cards of the year is no fluke or handout – the middleweight has enjoyed a sublime rise up the rankings over the last 18 months, securing the European title with a dramatic stoppage win over Matteo Sinani last November.
Defying the odds by beating Felix Cash in May opened more doors with Sheeraz – the man now regarded as British boxing’s best middleweight on the cusp of world title success – lying in wait.
Saturday’s show at the national team stadium is set to host a record crowd for a boxing event, backed by Saudi Arabia’s riches with Liam Gallagher on the bill to perform – without Noel, despite the efforts of Saudi’s boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh.
But Denny would take Walsall over Wembley if it meant having his hand raised at the end of it all.
‘The occasion is massive, fighting at Wembley will be memories for life,’ Denny told Metro.co.uk.
Denny’s European title is on the line this weekend (Picture: James Fearn/Getty Images)
‘But having said that, I’d rather fight at a small hall knowing I’m going to win than at Wembley. I don’t want to be saying I fought at Wembley but lost. It is all about winning for me.
‘It’s irrelevant almost. People say it must be a lifelong dream. It’s not. I never really had that dream. It was almost unrealistic. There have been some great fighters who never got that chance. I’m grateful of course, but I have got here on own merit as well. I deserve to be here.’
Denny is under no illusions he was not the first choice opponent to fight Sheeraz – who has secured career-best wins over Liam Willams and Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams this year. The Ilford fighter, now based in LA, has not gone the distance in a fight since 2018 and has knocked out every opponent he has come up against since joining the middleweight party.
A showdown with Chris Eubank Jr was explored along with a world title fight against WBC champion Carlos Adames. It leaves Denny as the clear underdog heading into fight night.
‘I’m glad I am the underdog. Earn a drink on me!’ Denny smiled. ‘I get it, I don’t take offence to it.
‘I was probably meant to lose against Cash and he would been offered it. But it has come to me. I believe I am going to win and that’s not being disrespectful to Hamzah, I just feel like I am better, simple as.’
24 fights into a gruelling career, beating Sheeraz would catapult Denny straight into the world title conversation. But the former English champion has no problems admitting it’s the paydays that interest him more with securing his family’s future his true goal.
‘I’m not crazy on belts. I want opportunities and to progress in life,’ he said. ‘I would take the financial rewards over the belts if I am being very honest. I have four kids, I have to do what I have got to do. I won’t say no of course but I’m looking upwards now. I have the European belt but I forget it is there half the time.’
On a six-fight winning streak with momentum behind him, Denny is aware just how quickly that can change with one defeat. Many before him have been derailed while on the cusp of greater things and the Rowley Regis fighter is wary the same fate could await him. But having come up the hard way in boxing, away from the glamour of pay-per-view shows and sold-out arenas, winning is the only thing on his mind.
Joshua vs Dubois undercard and running order
Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua (IBF heavyweight title)
Tyler Denny vs Hamzah Sheeraz (European middleweight title)
Anthony Cacace vs Josh Warrington (IBO super-featherweight titles)
Ishmael Davis vs Josh Kelly (middleweight)
Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson (WBO interim light-heavyweight title)
Mark Chamberlain vs Josh Padley (lightweight)
‘It is hard not to start thinking about what could be after beating Hamzah,’ he said. ‘But I have it instilled in my head; If I don’t beat him, it all goes away. Boxing is a massive game of snakes and ladders, you’ll be down the bottom of the pile in the ‘who needs ‘em’ club.
‘If I have a belt and a world ranking, people will want to fight me. If I don’t, there won’t be that many queuing up. There have been plenty of fighters stuck in that position. Fighters better than me who couldn’t get fights. So I have to make sure I keep winning.
‘There have been some tough points where you think, “do I want to do this anymore?” Monday to Friday working as a plumber, Monday to Friday with the kids to look after… boxing on top of that wasn’t working. But the last three years have been crazy.
‘It makes me appreciate the time I have now. Putting everything into every single day, I go to bed knowing there isn’t anything more I could do.’
BOXXER fighter Tyler Denny defends his European Middleweight Title against Hamzah Sheeran at Wembley Stadium as part of the Wembley Edition Riyadh Season card on September 21st, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
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