BOXERS at Phoenix Fire are very proud of ‘one of their own’ as Courtney Chadwick gets set for his professional debut.

The 25-year-old father of two is scheduled to square up on a dinner show at the DW Stadium in Wigan on Saturday, December 2.

“He has certainly become an inspiration to the young people in the club,” said Phoenix Fire coach Damian Ridpath.

“Courtney has faced many barriers to be successful but he has overcome them all.

“He still attends the club daily and club coach Elliot Dillon is overseeing his transition to professional boxing, still using the club gym at Warrington Fire Station as their base as well as Exercise 4 Less in Cockhedge who are sponsoring him.

“Courtney’s professional manager Neil Marsh is excellent and really going out of his way to ensure he has a great start and a comfortable transition to the professional side of the sport.”

It is 17 years since Chadwick started at Phoenix Fire, which was then based at Harrison Square in Dallam.

“He was a shy but extremely polite and well mannered kid,” said Ridpath.

“Courtney soon showed evidence of the talent he has and competed in his first bout aged 11.

“As a boxer he soon progressed and won the National Golden Gloves title in 2004 and represented England the same year for the first time in the Four Nations in Dublin.”

The former William Beamont High School and Liverpool John Moores University student, who is employed by AMEY UK, boxed 90 times as an amateur, winning more than 60 bouts.

“He has boxed at an extremely high level throughout his career, against 45 national champions and internationals,” said Ridpath.

“He won national schoolboy titles and as a senior he won two English and British University titles, as well as a Northern belt and England belt along with contesting many representative matches.

“Courtney holds wins over unbeaten professionals Zelfa Barrett, who is 19-0, Jack Catterall (19-0), who is current British Super Lightweight Champion and WBO Intercontinental Champion just to name a couple of top-class opponents.

“At 19 he suffered a dislocated shoulder in a bout, an injury that can lead to retirement for many boxers but after an 18-month rest period and successful surgery he returned to the sport.

“He will box at lightweight as a professional and we feel he has the ability to become a British champion. His style is suited for the longer duration of professional boxing with an excellent ingrained high level of skill, particularly with defence that isn’t always rewarded in amateur boxing as it is in the professional side of the sport.”