Don Broadhurst
Encyclopedia
Don Broadhurst is an English professional boxer who competes in the Flyweight division. He hails from Birmingham and currently boxes for Frank Warrens Sports Network. He held the Commonwealth
super flyweight champion from October 31, 2008 to December 11, 2009.
. He defeated South Africa's Jackson Van Chauke in the final of the games and was the first of five boxers to win gold for England that day. The fight lasted into the 3rd round when it was stopped on the 'outscored' rule.
in Bolton
. In June 2008 he fought in his home city of Birmingham for the first time beating Frenchman Alain Bonnel on points over six rounds. it was also the first time he had fought in the whole of 2008 following a string of cancelled bouts.
super flyweight
crown. The opponent in the other corner was Isaac Quaye of Ghana
with Broadhurst winning a unanimous decision over 12 rounds. The win meant that he had now won the Commonwealth title as an amateur and as a professional. Despite this fact the bill itself at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre will no doubt be more remembered for Peter Buckley
, the journeyman
, winning in his 300th and last bout. Broadhurst made the first defence of his title in March 2009 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham
defeating another boxer from Ghana, Isaac Owusu in the 11th round. On the 24th April Broadhurst fought his third Ghanain boxer in a row with a 6th round stoppage of Asamoah Wilson for his second title defence.
in a unification clash. The fight, in Newport Wales, saw Haskins become a double champion after scoring a unanimous decision over 12 scrappy rounds. Speaking of his disappointment at having lost for the first time Broadhurst claimed that it was "one bad night" told Boxing News "I just stayed in my bed, depressed. It was one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, it was like a family member had died or something – that is how bad it was".
a fighter who had fought only five professional contests. The contest was fought at bantamweight which was above Broadhursts natural weight but the loss to Ali by two rounds was bitterly disappointing for the local man.
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
super flyweight champion from October 31, 2008 to December 11, 2009.
Amateur career
Broadhurst was a standout amateur who won the Flyweight ABA championship in 2003 and Gold for England in the 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
. He defeated South Africa's Jackson Van Chauke in the final of the games and was the first of five boxers to win gold for England that day. The fight lasted into the 3rd round when it was stopped on the 'outscored' rule.
Early Professional career
Don decided to turn pro in June 2006 and signed for Sports Network saying “I feel the time is right to turn professional. I have represented England and the UK as an amateur, and they were the greatest times of my life, part of me wants to go to the Olympics still, but I'm positive now is the time, and I can go on to better my amateur achievements as a pro”. His first fight was 3 months later when he defeated journeyman Delroy Spencer at the Reebok StadiumReebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. In June 2008 he fought in his home city of Birmingham for the first time beating Frenchman Alain Bonnel on points over six rounds. it was also the first time he had fought in the whole of 2008 following a string of cancelled bouts.
Commonwealth Champion
Despite not fighting regularly in 2008, Don still managed to win his first professional title in October. Fighting in his home town of Birmingham once more he headlined a bill that saw him win the vacant CommonwealthCommonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
super flyweight
Super flyweight
Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight...
crown. The opponent in the other corner was Isaac Quaye of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
with Broadhurst winning a unanimous decision over 12 rounds. The win meant that he had now won the Commonwealth title as an amateur and as a professional. Despite this fact the bill itself at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre will no doubt be more remembered for Peter Buckley
Peter Buckley
Peter Buckley is the name of:* Peter Buckley , English journeyman welterweight boxer* Peter J. Buckley, Oregon State Representative, District 5 * Peter Buckley , British former professional racing cyclist...
, the journeyman
Journeyman (boxing)
A journeyman boxer is defined as a fighter who has adequate boxing skill, but does not have the caliber of a contender or gatekeeper. Outside of boxing, a "journeyman" is a trader or crafter who has completed an apprenticeship, but is not at the level of a master craftsman...
, winning in his 300th and last bout. Broadhurst made the first defence of his title in March 2009 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
defeating another boxer from Ghana, Isaac Owusu in the 11th round. On the 24th April Broadhurst fought his third Ghanain boxer in a row with a 6th round stoppage of Asamoah Wilson for his second title defence.
Unification bout with Haskins
On December 11, 2009 after 11 straight wins and two defences of his belt Broadhurst lost to reigning British super flyweight champion Lee HaskinsLee Haskins
Lee Haskins is a British professional boxer from Bristol in England who has fought in the Flyweight, Super Flyweight and Bantamweight divisions...
in a unification clash. The fight, in Newport Wales, saw Haskins become a double champion after scoring a unanimous decision over 12 scrappy rounds. Speaking of his disappointment at having lost for the first time Broadhurst claimed that it was "one bad night" told Boxing News "I just stayed in my bed, depressed. It was one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, it was like a family member had died or something – that is how bad it was".
Defeat to Ali
Broadhurst didn't return to the ring until 18 September 2010 when he hoped that an appearance on Frank Warrens 'Magnificent Seven' event held at the LG Arena in Birmingham would re-ignite his career. It was not to be however as he lost for the second time in a row, this time to Najah AliNajah Ali
Najah Ali is an Iraqi professional boxer, who was the only Iraqi boxer to qualify for the 2004 Athens, Greece Olympics.-Career:...
a fighter who had fought only five professional contests. The contest was fought at bantamweight which was above Broadhursts natural weight but the loss to Ali by two rounds was bitterly disappointing for the local man.