Sam Gilley is determined to leave a disastrous year behind as he steps up to the middle‑weight division for a bout against Aston Brown in Glasgow this Friday. The former Commonwealth champion’s recent record has been a roller‑coaster: after a draw with Gideon Onyenani in July, he came agonisingly close to capturing the British super‑welterweight crown, only to lose a unanimous decision to Ishmael Davis. That defeat was especially bitter because it occurred on the undercard of a fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – the very ground of the football club he supports. "I still feel I won both fights," Gilley told Sky Sports, reflecting on a year he described as "rubbish" but also as a steep learning curve.
"It taught me a lot about myself and about my character. It was a tight fight and Ish got the nod. At the end of the day that's boxing, that's sport, that's competition." The loss has only intensified his hunger for the coveted Lonsdale belt.
"I watched Ricky Hatton beat Jon Thaxton for that British title and thought, ‘I could do that.’ It drives me a little mad," Gilley admitted. "If I ever get another shot at it, I’ll be grateful. Even getting the chance to fight for it at Tottenham was a massive achievement." In 2023, Gilley secured a memorable victory over Louis Greene at York Hall, a fight that many fans still talk about.
Yet, despite the respect they showed each other before, during and after that contest, the relationship has now soured. Gilley is adamant that he will never step into the ring with Greene again, even though a rematch for the British title was on the table twice before falling through. "Louis was the perfect dance partner. I want good fights, and he fit the bill," Gilley explained.
"But I will never give him another chance. He wasted two years of my career, pulling out at fight‑week after we’d already built a whole camp around the bout. We waited forever, changed camps, and then—just before the fight—he bailed.
That sits under my skin. I haven’t even had a chance to fight for the British title because of that.
He’s back fighting now, but I’m done. Anyone else in the world?
I’ll fight them. Greene?
No." Now, with the Greene saga behind him, Gilley is turning his focus to Scotland, where he will meet Aston Brown – a former international amateur known for his power punches in the professional ranks. Brown represents a fresh challenge, and Gilley is confident he can test the young fighter’s mettle. "I was built for the hard stuff in the pros.
Let’s see if he’s up to it," Gilley said. "I’m very confident in my ability, my engine, and my toughness." He also reflected on the voice that guided him from childhood: a persistent inner whisper urging him to keep pushing, to keep chasing the dream that eventually led him to this point. "There was a little voice in my head when I was a kid that said ‘keep going, keep going’ because that’s what you’ll do when you’re older.
I followed that voice, followed that dream, and somehow I’m sitting here now," he said. "I still have that passion and desire, but now I have to make it pay off." Gilley’s upcoming fight in Glasgow is more than a simple step up in weight; it’s a statement of resilience. After a year marked by setbacks, disputed decisions, and a broken promise from a former rival, he wants to prove that his engine still runs strong, that his heart remains unbroken, and that he can still chase the Lonsdale belt he so desperately covets.
The Scottish crowd will get to see a boxer who has learned from his mistakes, who refuses to let a single opponent define his career, and who is ready to lay down the gauntlet for anyone willing to step into the ring – except, of course, Louis Greene.