FEATURE
Medal – Northallerton teenager Hanna Holden won gold at the European Championships .
on her journey , it will give us a great sense of satisfaction as a business and hopefully help her reach where she wants to be .”
Chatting to both fighters at the Tees Medical Services office in Boho Zero , Middlesbrough , it ’ s clear they both have a steely resolve to succeed in the fight game and are grateful for the support TMS is offering .
At 6ft 3ins and 18 and a half stone , former Macmillan Academy pupil Will ’ s an imposing figure who also does some work for Close Protection Security on football matchdays at the Riverside Stadium – an ideal role for a big Boro fan .
Back in his primary school days , and unable to get fights as a youngster because of his size , he instead concentrated , successfully , on rugby until his mid-teens .
But after pulling the gloves back on in earnest , a flurry of successful fights while training at the Phil Thomas club meant boxing beckoned again – and how .
He reels off a list of British Tri Nations and Euro successes , including two European bronze medals .
And now he ’ s turned pro , with the likes of renowned trainer Peter Fury – Tyson ’ s uncle – helping his progress , he ’ s eyeing even more success .
Will , who cites George Foreman as his favourite fighter , told Tees Business : “ For me , being successful in the sport means being remembered as a great fighter . There ’ ve been some champions who people have forgotten about .
“ It ’ s a tough game , though , which is why sponsorship is brilliant . There are loads of expenses like food , petrol , training gear , even getting people up to spar – and if you have a bad spar and you ’ re covered in blood , everything has to be chucked out .
“ It ’ s worth it , though . And one day , I ’ d love to headline the Riverside – that would be the pinnacle for me .”
Hanna , meanwhile , wants to take her blossoming amateur career as far as she can before deciding on future moves .
Born in the Philippines but having lived in Northallerton since 2016 , “ adrenaline junkie ” Hanna was a karate brown belt by the time she was 10 .
But after seeing older brother Daryll box , she admits : “ I really wanted to get in the ring myself .”
With dad John ensuring she maintains a healthy attitude towards weight maintenance and her boxing career in general , Hanna has made rapid progress .
In just two years , she ’ s twice been national champion , bagged one European bronze medal and , in August , won gold at the European Championships in Slovenia .
Currently fighting at 60 kilos , 5ft 6ins Hanna trains six days a week – but admits Saturdays are “ when I can just be a girl and sleep a lot !”
And as for her ambitions ? “ I want to take my amateur career as far as I can . I want to represent England a lot more in Europeans and my biggest goals as an amateur are trying to get to the Worlds and Olympics .”
Listening intently to Will and Hanna is Shak – and he ’ s clearly impressed with what he ’ s hearing .
He said : “ If we can associate ourselves with people of the calibre of William and Hanna , it ’ s good for us and hopefully good for them .”
For more about Will and Hanna , visit their Instagram accounts @ willhowe28 and @ hannaholden _ boxing . And for more about Tees Medical Services , visit teesmedicalservices . co . uk .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 157