Sam Gilley is ready to turn the page on a tumultuous year as he steps into the ring against Aston Brown in Glasgow on Friday, competing in the middleweight division. The former Commonwealth champion reflected on his past performances, including a draw with Gideon Onyenani and a narrow loss to Ishmael Davis in his bid for the British super-welterweight title. Despite the setbacks, Gilley remains optimistic about his chances, citing the lessons learned from those experiences. "I believe I won both fights, but it was just one of those years.
It taught me a lot about myself and my character," he said in an interview with Sky Sports. Gilley still harbors ambitions of winning the Lonsdale belt, an opportunity he hopes will arise again in the future.
However, one fight he has ruled out is a rematch against Louis Greene, following a contentious fallout after their initially planned rematch for the British title fell through twice. "I'm eager to participate in competitive fights, and Louis was an ideal opponent. Nevertheless, I will never engage with him again. He wasted two years of my career, pulling out of a fight at the last minute.
I won't give him another chance," Gilley emphasized. As he prepares to face Brown, a former international amateur with proven punching power, Gilley expressed confidence in his ability to withstand the challenges of the professional sport. "I was built for the demands of professional boxing.
Let's see if Brown can keep up," he said. With his passion and determination still burning bright, Gilley is resolute in his pursuit of success, acknowledging that it's time to make his career pay off.