Exclusive: From Youth Detention to British Champion Conah Walker’s Story of Redemption

New British champion Conah Walker believes wrestling the Lonsdale belt away from Harry Scarff is not only a victory for himself but also his home city of Wolverhampton.

The welterweight, who also claimed the Commonwealth belt following a dramatic win over the former holder in Nottingham last weekend, insists he can now “go all the way to the top” in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions.

Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com, Walker believes the lucrative opportunities which now await him are a reward for refusing to dodge a fight and agreeing to face more fancied opponents. 

But, having been forced to “earn everything I’ve ever got,” the hard way, the 29-year-old also dedicated the defeat of Scarff to his supporters from the West Midlands.

“I’ve never not taken a fight,” he said. 

“I’ve taken every opportunity that’s come my way and, if you play the game that way, then I believe the game eventually gives back to you."

“I’ve never had a huge machine behind me. I wasn’t given a big contract by a big promoter right from when I was starting out."

“My experience has been building a fan base from the ground up, dropping tickets off at people’s houses and going round the pubs and the clubs to sell them myself."

"I’ve loved doing that, to be honest and the people who come to cheer me on aren’t just fans. They’re family. They’re friends. I’m a local lad and I see this as better than being on the building site or doing tiling, which is my trade."

"I’d much rather be boxing than loading up the van with tools, offloading them and then grafting all day. This is what I enjoy."

“What I’ve just done is for myself, my family and everyone who has helped me along the way.”

FAIRYTALE STORY

Walker’s rise to prominence is a true fairytale and testament to the transformative powers of the world’s toughest sport. 

As a youngster, he famously spent time in a youth detention centre before discovering the noble art and turning his life around.

“I managed to turn the experience into something positive,” Walker told SportsBoom.com. 

“It was a wake-up call and I hated it but I came out a different person.”

Despite entering the ring on the back of a win over Lewis Ritson, most observers expected him to lose to Scarff at the Motorpoint Arena given the Derby’s man’s supposedly superior skill set and resume. 

Scarff, whose previous outing had been an eliminator for the IBF crown, dominated the opening 10 rounds and was ahead of all three judges’ scorecards when Walker sent him to the canvas with a powerful shot during the penultimate stanza. 

Although Scarff climbed back to his feet, referee Michael Alexander quickly waved the contest off when Walker unleashed another barrage of spiteful punches. 

The win, which took his record to 15-3-1, sparked wild celebrations both inside and outside of the ropes.

“How far can I go? All the way to the top,” said Walker. 

“That’s where I want and believe I can go."

“I started late, at 18, in the amateurs and got the bug. It’s hard then to just say, that’s enough, that’s it for me now."

“Why should I go tiling, which I don’t particularly like, when I can get paid for doing something I enjoy."

"I do well on tickets and that’s why I’ve got so much to thank other people for as well, because they’ve shown that belief in me."

“I’ve enjoyed the rise and I don’t want it to stop. I’ve got to pinch myself, when I look at my life now, at times.”