Tyrone Nurse in Rude Health as His Patient Approach Finally Starts to Pay Off
It seems only right that a boxer called Nurse has had to be patient.
Tyrone Nurse, a super lightweight from Huddersfield, England, turned pro at the age of 18 with high hopes. Now, eight years later, he is finally a British champion whose stock is on the rise.
The climb toward the top has been a slow one for a man who has already had 36 fights in his career, winning all but three of them.
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Opportunities have not always been easy to come by.
Without the backing of a well-known promoter, Nurse had to toil away in the hope of making a breakthrough. It made for some frustrating times, but he never lost faith in his ability.
"I was boxing as an amateur for England at representative level," Nurse said. "I was boxing for England left, right and centre. I was beating probably two out of three [opponents] but not getting the results from it. In my eyes, I wondered what was the point. I think it was down to style more than anything. But you live and learn."
"When I turned pro, I obviously hadn’t matured," he explained. "I wasn’t physically strong, just a skinny, slick boxer who thought I was just going to go into the ring and knock a few people out."
Nurse (33-2-1, 7 KOs) has struggled to knock anyone out. While he was unbeaten in his first 22 outings in the paid ranks, it wasn't until his 13th bout that he recorded a win inside the distance.
As a technically gifted boxer who stands at 5'11", Nurse was treated like out-of-date eggs by other super lightweights—best left alone, or else you might not like the consequences.
In need of boosting his profile, not to mention bolstering his career earnings, he was entered into the 23rd edition of the Prizefighter series in February 2012 by Chris Aston, his father and trainer, without any prior knowledge.
The eight-man knockout tournament offered a top prize of £32,000. Nurse lost in the final against Adil Anwar, meaning he missed out on the giant cheque and also suffered a first defeat as a pro.
It has not been his only near miss to date.
In October 2014, the Yorkshireman was dropped twice in the early rounds before eventually losing narrowly on points to Dave Ryan in a tight battle for the Commonwealth belt.
He came even closer in his first attempt at winning the British crown, drawing with Chris Jenkins in July 2015.
Yet Nurse feels those setbacks, along with the plethora of points victories he recorded in small-hall venues during the early years, have all been crucial moments in his development as a fighter.
"It has been a slow process," he admitted. "Now, though, I think those extra years have helped me. I realise now that you’ve got to make the most of it when you do get those opportunities. But I never thought it wouldn’t happen. I just knew that, having been around boxing for years, I knew there were a lot of politics involved.
"It’s not plain sailing as some like to think. The general fan doesn’t see about 99 per cent of what goes on behind the scenes," Nurse continued. "Still, I knew I’d eventually get there. Politics were always going to play a part and we knew we’d have to force our way in."
Nurse eventually opened the door by beating Jenkins in a rematch for the vacant British strap, fulfilling his "dream" of holding a Lonsdale belt.
However, that doesn't mean he's happy to just hang around at the domestic level.
"I’ve always taken each fight as it comes, yet I always saw myself winning the British title," he revealed. "That’s not me being big-headed. I knew I had the potential to achieve that. Beyond that, then you have different dreams, the ones that have previously floated at the back of your head."
Eddie Hearn—head of Matchroom Boxing—believes Nurse, who defeated Willie Limond in his first defence on May 28, is "one of the top [super lightweight] fighters in Europe, not just Britain."
The promoter was speaking at the press conference ahead of Nurse's clash with Tommy Coyle on July 30, a support act to Josh Warrington against Patrick Hyland that could end up stealing the show.
Hearn dangled a rather large carrot in front of the two men when he mentioned the potential for a world-title challenge against Scotsman Ricky Burns, the reigning WBA champion at 140 pounds.
Nurse, though, still refuses to get too carried away.
It took him long enough to work his way toward the summit. He knows looking too far ahead could see him in danger of falling back down toward the bottom again.
"Ricky and I know each other," he said of Burns. "I’ve been up there sparring so many times. If you added up all the days, it probably works out to living up there [in Scotland] for a year."
"Obviously it’s a fight you cannot say no to. If you’re a cashier at a supermarket and they suddenly offer you the manager’s job, you take it," Nurse explained. "Like anyone in any line of work, you want opportunities."
In his next outing against Coyle, Nurse gets the chance to show patience does pay off. The pair met as amateurs a decade ago, with the former coming out on top on points.
A rematch never quite materialised—until now.
Nurse actually bears no grudge over the first result. It's not in his nature, and Coyle, a down-to-earth character who does so much for his home city of Hull, is hardly a man you can dislike for too long.
But it's strictly business between the pair on July 30.
Coyle—who has stepped up from lightweight—rarely gets involved in a dull fight, so the potential is there for the crowd to witness something special at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
Nurse, though, is the one experienced at the 140-pound limit. He's also significantly taller than his rival, as shown by the head-to-head photo opportunity shared by Matchroom Boxing:
Most importantly of all, Nurse is the one with something to lose. He's worked extremely hard to become British champion and does not want to let the belt slip from his grasp now.
"I’m just keeping my head screwed on, my feet on the ground. I just want to keep winning," he admitted. "I’m not looking past Tommy. It could be a barnstorming fight. You know what you’re getting with Tommy."
"I think we will gel [in the ring]," Nurse added. "There are going to be times when I’m jabbing his head off, but they’ll also be times when I stand there with him, without a doubt. I enjoy having a war, so I’m sure the fans will love it."
If good things do come to those who wait, the future looks seriously bright for the patient Nurse.
Rob Lancaster is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated.
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