On the 4th of April 2015, Luke Blackledge achieved a dream when he captured the Commonwealth super-middleweight championship on home turf in Blackburn. He added that belt to a WBC ranking title accrued the year prior as his domestic ranking continued to climb. At that time, only Erik Skoglund (whose only ever loss was to Callum Smith) and Rocky Fielding (future WBA world titleholder) had defeated Blackledge.
Fast-forward eight years and the man from Darwen is metaphorically and physically, on the road, as far as his boxing career is concerned. Just a couple of days before our interview, Blackledge had lost on points to Francis Kershaw, a 3-0 prospect.
“I’m just fighting on the road for a few quid now,” he told me over the phone. “I still f*cking love it. I’d fight every week if I weren’t a fat kid (laughs). If I could make the weight, I’d fight every week.”
“I still love training and being in the gym with the lads,” the 33-year-old explained.
Four rounds later, Kershaw now has the name of a former champion on his resume.
“You could see how happy he was. He just beat the ex-Commonwealth champion. That fight and how much he’ll learn beating me, he probably won’t get that experience in his next ten fights.”
The only downside was the fact he received a cut, meaning he now cannot compete for four weeks.
Whilst some away corner fighters are happy to move around the ring, stay out of trouble and pick up their cash, Darwen’s finest is happy to upset the applecart and give it his all.
Last year he travelled to Bolton and snapped the three-fight win streak of Wycombe King. Propects beware – he’s not coming to accept defeat easily.
“These journeymen that just go on the back-foot and just box around; they’ve not much fight in them, have they?”
“I’ll teach them a trick or two.”
He’s now giving back to a sport that gave him some amazing nights. Considering his lack of amateur background and upbringing solely on the unlicensed scene, he achieved far beyond expectation. With veteran boxing manager and promoter, Steve Wood backing him, Blackledge was able to outpoint Liam Cameron before successfully defending his Commonwealth title twice – he felt invincible.
“I thought it were never going to end. Before that, I was living and sleeping it (boxing). I was hungry. Money didn’t mean anything then. It was more (about) winning the titles.”
The chance to fight for the Commonwealth gold involved his team paying a promoter in Africa around £4,000 for their man to vacate the title.
“We had to do a deal with the promoter to vacate, and then we fought for the vacated Commonwealth title,” he revealed. “That’s when I fought Liam Cameron. He was a top ten rated fighter; an ABA champion. It was a hard fight.”
“If I wasn’t on my A game, I’d have got filled in.”
Cameron was the favourite that night but Blackledge emerged victorious. On a side note, Cameron showed his class, despite the defeat, and dropped to middleweight to win Commonwealth gold at that weight.
As reigning champion, Blackledge subsequently took his eye off the ball, and just a small incremental drop in intensity cost him.
“I was so disciplined until I actually got there,” he said. “When I won the Commonwealth and fought for the British (versus Callum Smith), when I got up there I started stepping off the gas, partying and going out. I felt like I’d made it. It’s hard to get there and if you don’t stay on the ball, it’s so easy to slip down.”
Losing to Callum Smith in 2016 signalled a downturn. Smith was No.1 for the WBC 168-pound world title and was supposed to fight Anthony Dirrell – instead, Blackledge stepped in and fought against Smith for his British title. He was stopped in the tenth.
Still hugely respected, Blackledge took to the road and continues to give himself to the sport, just not as much of himself as he did at his peak.
“I just haven’t got the dedication, you know. I’ve not got what I used to have where I lived and slept it.”
With no regrets, he’ll soldier on, giving in-ring educational lessons to young pros up and down the country. This, with immense proudness at what he achieved – with no amateur experience.
“I’ve had a right good career,” he reflected. “I’ve been to Germany and Denmark, sparring Arthur Abraham, Martin Murray, Carl Froch, Tony Bellew and Billy Joe Saunders.”
Sparring 80-90 rounds with Carl Froch and 100 with former WBA titlist Tyron Zeuge, Blackledge has been there and done it. Of all the former champions he’s been in with, he revealed Billy Joe Saunders to be the very best he’s ever shared a ring with.
Now, with Geordie Paul, Matt Bolton, Kevin Maree and AJ Woods backing him, the former champion will box on in away corners up and down the country.