It must be nice to be liked in multiple locations. 196 miles separate Devon from Birmingham, but for Tommy Langford, the distance hasn’t proved a hindrance. “I’ve always had a lot of support and I’ve got a lot of travelling fans – I’m originally from North Devon” he tells me in a hybrid accent between Brummie and the South. “My dad’s a massive part of the sporting community in Devon so everybody has taken a big interest in me. It turned over into the pro’s and that interest is still there.”
Langford is a middleweight with wide appeal. Since turning professional only three years ago he has amassed a record of thirteen wins with no losses or draws. In that time he has also allied his love of boxing with his other passion – football. Or to be more precise, West Bromwich Albion. Regularly you can read on social media that Langford is attending a Baggies game, distributing tickets and interacting with the fans. How has the link up come about? “I’ve tapped in to the West Brom side of it as I’m a big fan and that’s helped produce a lot of fans as well. I can see it building as long as I keep performing and exciting them. We’re in the entertainment business so you have to be exciting in the ring – my natural style is fan friendly and that shows in the support I’m receiving.”
As well as building a style that excites fans, it has also been prosperous in picking up the wins. “I haven’t lost a round as a professional” states Langford, which is impressive given that over the last twelve months he has considerably improved his opponent. But when he reflects back on his professional career, it hasn’t always been so easy. “When I first turned over I was on the small hall circuit with Jon Pegg in Birmingham which is a lot more difficult than you anticipate. It becomes all about ticket sales in terms of getting on shows – I felt that as I had a good amateur pedigree I felt I deserved a bigger platform.”
The bigger platform wasn’t as far away as he may have feared. In fact there were prying eyes on the young upcoming middleweight, as he explains. “At the time Frank Warren and Dean Powell were interested but it never came about to start with. Later down the line they saw me on a couple of shows and made it happen – it was after about my seventh or eighth fight I signed with Frank Warren. Since then it’s escalated, I’ve got the exposure I wanted and my performances are improving because of it. I’m fighting with more confidence and belief and it shows in the ring, I’m really happy with where it’s going.”
Of course ticket selling doesn’t go away once you leave the realms of the small hall shows, and to that end Langford appreciates that his special connection to the Midlands football club can help spread his appeal. “I’m trying to push it as much as I can with West Brom and strengthen the link. They’ve taken a big interest in me, particularly this season, I’m really grateful for how much they’ve pushed me. I’m in their programme frequently and I’ve been on the fan zone at the games – it’s a big opportunity if you can tap in to that element of sporting fans. A lot of football fans are interested in boxing – I’m hoping it can grow and grow, maybe even get a season ticket out of it! I go to all the games, tonight is the first one I’ve missed this season, I can’t miss my training. Obviously the more fans that support me the better as they are noisy!”
It is becoming a trend within boxing to find a fighter that has cross over appeal. Football fans are at times an untapped commodity – after all they are happy to pay out on a Saturday afternoon to support in a tribalistic fashion a set of strangers that wear their colours. Big things are developing up North for Josh Warrington, who often sells out the First Direct Arena in Leeds. Does that support inspire Langford for the future?
“You just have to look at the Leeds thing with Warrington – although Leeds aren’t as good as West Brom! If you’ve got something else to cheer as a football fan that’s great – Albion aren’t going to win the Premier League so if there is something outside of the football to cheer on then that’s great for the fans. Obviously Leeds have done that with Josh Warrington – they don’t have a lot to cheer for football wise but if they as a unit get behind Josh then it creates that atmosphere at the fights. With boxing if you can fill a stadium then you’ll get on big fights and ultimately pay well. In a years time if things keep progressing as they are there may be a position next year where I can challenge for a world title. If that comes about there’s the potential for a big show in the Midlands and the Hawthorns stadium is about the right size!! I just have to keep winning and that might happen.”
Winning is becoming a nice habit for the Midlands middleweight. Two knockout victories in his last two fights have provided more hype around him. Now looking at his third fight of the year on Saturday night, the opponents have become more challenging. Saturday sees the Argentinian Christian Rios (20-6-3) come to the UK for the first time, where he will stand against Langford at the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton. Rios is a fighter who has form himself, unbeaten in two years he also has a draw with Jorge Sebastian Heiland on his record – a man who in 2014 stopped fellow Birmingham resident Matthew Macklin. “If I keep performing the way I am then every fight will have to be a progression” says Langford – a man who clearly doesn’t shirk from the idea of taking on the best in the division. The tricky Argentinian poses a new challenge though, being the champion of his native Argentina and a southpaw to go with it.
In his last outing Langford picked up his first piece of significant silverware, the WBO Inter-Continental title. He made short work of Mexican Julio Avalos, finishing him in the fourth round. How much does holding a title boost his confidence? “It oes help, but the bonus is they give you a world ranking and a potential shortcut to titles. I look at the rankings for the WBO and my name is there with some real top fighters, I’m above Matt Korobov (who lost to Andy Lee for the vacant title) – that gives you a confidence boost. Picking up the belt was nice, but it showed Frank Warren has faith in me as they’re putting me in for that title and want me to progress. I’ve always had self belief and my trainer has always believed in me, but to have your team supporting you and believing you can do something good as well is more of a confidence boost than anything. I have a very supportive team around me and it shows in my performances.”