Scott Welch is a former British heavyweight champion who fought for a world title and now his son, Tommy is following in his footsteps. It hasn’t been a straightforward path for the Albion fan but now he's flying, he wants to make his city proud…
So was it always an ambition to follow in your father's footsteps, Tommy?
To be honest, I hated boxing when I was a young kid. My father used to take me down the gym, trying to push me, but it wasn't where I wanted to be and I hid in the toilets. It was a sweat box, it was disgusting, a real horrible place. I always say that my first fight was with my dad trying to get me into the gym! I went to an independent school where we played football and rugby, which is all I wanted to do back then, but as I got older, the social side of team sports wasn't for me and I took up boxing.
You finally turned pro and had your first fight with Hennessy Sports on Channel 5 just before Christmas…
I had to make my dad a believer and he'd seen in the training I'd done with the Navy, and in my sparring, that I was ready. He'd seen a change in me – and I have much to thank Ben for, to the point where he is now my coach. During lockdown I had two ex-Royal Marines living with me full-time [Ben and Matt Etherington], I had my dad in the gym – my cousin Anthony Brown's Fitlab – with me every day and we created this training camp that was impenetrable. My first pro fight was a four-rounder [against Matt Gordon] but it wasn't a debut to remember, given the Covid-19 protocols. It was a sterile environment with no crowd, when I'm used to these dingy places with everyone hanging off the walls. Even beforehand, I was locked in a room for 24 hours with food delivered to my door, but once that bell went, I was in there, got the job done, then got out again.
Let's talk Albion. Where does your love for the club come from?
I’m from the city, I went to school at Shoreham College, and the club has always been a big part of our family. My grandad used to take my mum to the Goldstone, and then he would take me to Withdean as a kid. He would always tell me stories about Peter Ward and sing, 'He Shot, He Scored!' to me. Sadly, he's passed away now but when we moved to the Amex, we had to get some season-tickets, and my dad goes regularly with a group of friends in the 1901 Club – and I'll join them whenever I can.
What have been your favourite memories of the Amex?
It would have to be those early games, especially against Doncaster, where the atmosphere was fantastic. It was like that every week and although things dipped a bit once Gus and then Oscar had gone, it came back again when Chris Hughton got the team rocking and promoted to the Premier League. He rejuvenated us at a time when it was really needed, so will always be fondly remembered by the fans here.
Which players do you enjoy watching in the current team?
I think Leandro Trossard and Danny Welbeck were good signings and we are now starting to see that. I also have a bit of a connection with Solly March, as he is married to my cousin. I've watched his career closely and up until his injury, he was absolutely on fire. He's been our star player throughout this lockdown period and has really thrived under Graham Potter. He's obviously a bit down at the moment but I know he will come back fitter and stronger.
What are your thoughts on the run-in?
I think we’re starting to warm up now. When the pressure's on, the boys usually step up to the plate, and I'm confident they'll do that again. I've been to games where we were expected to win but haven't, then we’ve played the big boys, especially at the Amex, and pulled a result out of the bag. We’ve got some games against the top teams still to come but there's enough points for us to pick up to get safe. Looking ahead, I think we're only going one way as a club and we're now firmly on the map. When I go around the world and say I'm from Brighton, people mention the football team, whereas before I had to explain that it was a city south of London. We're famous because of the Albion and that's a great thing.
Is it a dream to one day box at the Amex?
That thought often comes to mind – to fight for a world title at the Amex in front of my home crowd. The support I’ve received so far has been phenomenal and it would be great to go on and make the city proud.