Sheffield fighter wins Board belt after medical battle
The Sheffield accountant who fought to prove it was safe to enter the ring and became a title-holder
Sheldon McDonald spent 18 months trying to persuade the British Boxing Board of Control that it was safe for him to fight.
He'd had childhood seizures up until the age of five, and - not surprisingly - the administrators wanted to be 100 per cent sure the Wybourn-born cruiserweight was fit to compete.
They eventually cleared him - and last weekend he proved his fitness and stamina to become the Board's own Central Area champion, after boxing over 10 rounds for the first time in his career.
"It meant a lot to me after going through the 18-months process" he said.
"The Board wasn't being unfair, they just wanted to make sure it was safe for me.
"But to win one of their belts felt like a full 360 moment!"
McDonald, aged 29, beat Nathan Quarless in his native Liverpool last Saturday on a 97-94 scorecard.
"The fight went really well" he said. "I stuck to the game plan set by Roger Sampson, and that was be sharp, disciplined and catch him on the counter. I controlled the pace of the fight, took the centre of the ring, and was catching him with a lot of jabs.
"I felt comfortable and definitely won the majority of the rounds, and the referee agreed.
"There wasn't a lot of love from the home crowd but I brought about 40 of my own supporters and they were very loud.
"Roger was responsible for winning this belt just as much as I am, he is a very good coach. I had a good camp with great sparring.
"He doesn't like the limelight but trains everybody - professionals and amateurs - in a great atmosphere and environment (Manor Boxing Academy.)"
McDonald, who is 6ft 3ins tall, will now hope to push forward, and could be moving towards a showdown with English champion John Hedges or British title holder Viddal Riley.
"I am having a week off, then I will get back in the gym and see who is next," said Sheldon, who is an accountant for Sheffield firm Brown McLeod.