Ted Cheeseman to make decision over boxing future after a restful and recharged summer break
Ted Cheeseman is not ruling out a ring return once he has enjoyed a summer break.
Bermondsey’s two-time British super-welterweight champion, 26, has not fought since being knocked out by Troy Williamson in Liverpool in October.
And Cheeseman feels that his time away from the sport has helped him to recharge after gruelling clashes with James Metcalf, Sam Eggington, Scott Fitzgerald, Kieron Conway and Sergio Garcia.
“I ain’t had a proper summer off for 15 years,” Cheeseman (17-3-1, 10KOs) told the South London Press.
“Straight after the Williamson fight I thought: ‘I can’t be arsed with it any more’. But time is a healer.
“Then you start to think that you could do a bit more – but it is making sure I am 100 per cent in. I’m going to enjoy the summer, tick over to try and stay a bit fit and then I’ll make a decision.
“I’ve been in boxing since I was 12. I’m a hard trainer and I’ve always been fully dedicated. I needed to have a good break and see where my head is at.
“My last three fights were all Fight Of The Year contenders. You can’t keep going to the well every time. You need to have a couple of dipping fights in between, to let your body settle and not have such full-on camps.
“You can’t regret it now but, deep down, I believe if I boxed the way I did against Metcalf then I would have beaten Troy Williamson. I had him hurt in the eighth or ninth round but I just never had another gear to go up to.
“That was a hard camp with hard spars – then a hard fight. If you look at my record and the calibre of opponents I’ve fought against, compared to the other people, I’ve had war after war after war.
“I’ve fought so many unbeaten opponents. I probably needed some tick-over ones in there so you’re not pushing your body to the top all the time.”
Cheeseman was an excellent amateur for Fisher before turning over to the paid ranks in 2015, when he was 20.
He won his first 15 bouts, outpointing Asinia Byfield for the British belt in 2018.
Cheeseman made the jump to take on European champion Sergio Garcia and while showing trademark bravery he was outclassed by the Spaniard, who won a wide decision on two of the judges’ scorecards.
In June 2019 he revealed how a gambling addiction saw him lose nearly £1million.
“I’ll be 27 next month and I’m still a baby, in some respects, in boxing,” said Cheeseman. “Some people ain’t even turned pro at this point. I’m double British champion already, as well as winning the WBA [International title], IBF [International title] and I was ranked number five in the world.
“So if I give up now, I’ve achieved a lot already. But I still believe I’ve got more in me and that when I fought Troy Williamson that wasn’t the right Ted Cheeseman at the time.
“I could’ve performed a lot better if I was a lot fresher. You look at me in that fight and that snap isn’t really there. After about three rounds I was sort of f*****. I was knackered, when usually I’m fresh the whole fight.
“But you live and learn. I do believe if I come back fresh I’ve still got a lot to achieve. It’s about your head being in it as well.
“You need to be mentally fresh.
“My family have left it down to me. People give their opinions but since my last fight I’ve always been a bit undecided. Some days I think ‘nah, nah – I’m probably done’ but now I’ve got to a point where I’ve hit the bag and done a bit of pads, I’m feeling quite good.
“I’ve already been on holiday to Marbella and Turkey and I’ve got Dubai booked for the summer. I may chuck in something else, another little Marbella .
“I need to make sure I don’t regret life and I don’t regret boxing.”
Cheeseman set up a building company, All Type Work Solutions Limited, in June 2019, and has spoken before about that easing any financial strain.
“I don’t need to box to earn money,” he said. “It’s more about whether I’d be looking back in five years and thinking: ‘I should’ve had one more go’.
“It’s done my body a lot of good having this little break.”