LEVI FRANKHAM INSISTS he has no wish to trade on his Tyson Fury connections as he prepares to launch his professional boxing career at York Hall on Friday.
Levi is the latest Fighting Frankham – joining cousins Charles and Joshua – to be added to the fistic mix, while he is also a close relation of Paris Fury and was page boy at her wedding to Tyson in 2008.
Frankham, now a strapping 20-year-old super welterweight, is not seeking any publicity or boxing capital from his links to the Gypsy King and the sport’s Royal Family. He intends to go quietly about his business and make his own mark in the sport, based on his own merits.
What he doesn’t want is to be described as ‘Tyson Fury’s cousin’ by commentators and have the heavyweight world champion referenced in every interview.
“Not at all,” said the Wayne Batten-trained newcomer, who hails from Cranleigh. “I love them and they are my family, but all I want to do is be my own man. I want to see what I can do, see what I can do myself.
“My mum and Paris’s mum are sisters, so she is my cousin.
“I am my own man, I want to have my fights, see if I am good enough and see if I have got what it takes.
“Any tips or advice I get from anyone I will take on board from people trying to help me. But, I am going to try and do it my own way and see if I can make my own name and win off my own back.”
Frankham launches his pro voyage with an opener over four rounds against Paul Cummings and, once this is complete, his mother’s culinary delights will be at the forefront of his thinking.
“I am feeling good and cannot wait to fight. I just want to get rolling now. Then I can’t wait to have my mum’s roast dinners again as soon as we are all done! Win first, then food.
“Everything has been all good through training camp, I feel fit and strong, so I just want to fight. I have been waiting a long time for it.”
Friday will also represent a first for the Frankhams in that it will be the only time to date that more than one family member has occupied the same bill as a professional.
“It is the first time ever,” confirmed Levi. “My dad boxed pro and had six fights, I had my uncle Bobby Frankham and my uncle Johnny Frankham won the British title from Chris Finnegan. But, at that time, never did two Frankhams box on the same show.
“Now we’ve got me, Josh and Charles – all cousins – and hopefully soon we can have three Frankhams fighting on the same show. I can’t wait to get that on.”
In the main event on the behind closed doors London card brilliant South African Moruti Mthalane (39-2, 26 KOs) defends his IBF World Flyweight championship against Croydon’s Sunny Edwards (15-0, 4 KOs).
In a ten rounder Belfast’s WBO number one ranked Super-Bantamweight Michael Conlan (14-0, 8 KOs) faces dangerous Romanian Ionut Balata (14-2, 3 KOs).
Big punching Southampton Super-Featherweight Ryan Garner (9-0, 6 KOs) and Reading Super-Welterweight Joshua Frankham (2-0) are also in action.
Levi Frankham is one of two debutants alongside Finchley Super-Welterweight Jonathan Kumuteo.
