Spar Wars – Thomas Carty validated by World Champion preparations

The fact he gets callbacks from the biggest names in boxing’s Hollywood division assures Thomas Carty he is on the road to heavyweight stardom.

The Dublin heavy has been brought in to train alongside and spar WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua already this year.

It’s not the first time the popular big man has shared the training ring with either and the fact they use him regularly is a confidence boost.

The BUI Celtic champion, who next fights in Castlebar on March 17th, can’t speak specifically on the spars or how he performed against Joshua or Fury, nor versus the likes of Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora et al. However, a point he can make is that if you are no use, you are of no use to the world’s elite big men.

“It solidifies and validates where I’m at in my career,” he says.
 
“These guys are ringing me and actively trying to get me in for sparring. Tyson texted me himself [looking for me to spar him]. That’s the WBC world champion, he isn’t looking for any pushovers. I don’t need to say but people can be like ‘punch bag this or punch bag that’ but no, if you are not good enough or up to scratch you get sent home,” he adds before casting a light on how he approaches the spars.

“Stylistically they are very different but in terms of what I’ve been asked you just spar straight up. One is a current world champion and I imagine Joshua will become a three-time world champion but it’s the same approach as to any sparring, only the intensity is a lot higher and it’s a high-pressure situation.”

Exposure to that level of sparring and elite-level camps has helped Carty’s progression.

Career-wise, the Celtic Warrior Gym southpaw has grown from Elite amateur to look out for to one of the first names on the list of ‘heavyweight names of the near future’ in the last three years.

However, he points out the personal progression over that period is what has him ready to start moving toward the top end of the heavyweight tree.

“My whole career, even going back to the amateur days, people used to talk about how good I can be and how far I could potentially go.

“I’m still only scratching the surface but I’ve made huge leaps in the last three years. I’m full-time now, I live, eat and breathe boxing. I haven’t been out of the gym since I turned over. I’m starting to see the result of being full-time now,” he says before pointing to the mental and physical alterations he’s made.

“Mindset is one,” he responds when pushed for specifics. “They say boxing is 90% mental and I’d agree. Then I started training with strength and conditioning coach John Connors and I’ve grown into a proper heavyweight. I’m a proper heavyweight now.”

“I wouldn’t be on the small side of the heavyweights,” he adds before putting in layman’s terms. I’ve just matured overall.”

At 28, the Phibsboro puncher is still relatively young in the land of the giants, but his recent wins mean his next moves could be big ones.

The Paschal Collins-trained fighter, who has done so much right in and outside the ring, will have a keep-busy bout on a Platform Sports card in Mayo on St Patrick’s Day and could have two more high-profile outings on Katie Taylor bills before the summer is done.

Three more wins by August and Carty could be on the verge of some big fights and big nights.  
 
“Once you get into the top 100 in the world, the margins are very very slim, but in order to make up the space it takes a little bit of hard work and some luck, right time right place,” the heavyweight who gets the business explains.  

“I’m not a million miles off the mark. I’m realistic and clever enough – not the most intelligent, otherwise I wouldn’t be boxing – to know that I can definitely secure a future for myself in the sport and go down as someone who had a really good crack at a career.”