FOR some, a link up with an amateur boxer dipping his toes in the unforgiving American water for the first time – even one with the record of Jason Quigley – would be prohibitive.
There was something different about Jason Quigley when Sheer Sports Management clasped their eyes on the middleweight prospect. He ticked all the right boxes.
Last April, Quigley headed to the offices of Golden Boy Promotions for a meeting with Oscar De La Hoya and the chance of a lifetime presented itself.
Quigley and his father, Conor, signed up and soon agreed terms with Sheer Sports Management.
“We were impressed by Jason in the ring but blown away with Jason outside of the ring,” says Rachel Charles of Sheer Sports.
“He is smart, well-spoken and personable. It was a no brainer for us to sign him.
“Sheer Sports prides itself on representing high character individuals that are great fighters – Jason personifies both.”
Charles is well versed in the sweet science. She’s Birmingham born, but California has been home since 1990 and she counts Wayne McCullough among the boxers she’s worked alongside.
Sheer Sports states that its sole goal is: ‘to build a house of champions’.
Charles is Quigley’s eyes and ears with the hope that they Ballybofey man can become a world champion.
“Sheer Sports are the day-to-day wheels of the Quigley wagon and have been instrumental in helping him settle here in LA,” Charles says.
“It’s been a fantastic ride so far, the fans and media can’t get enough of Jason.
“As with every fight we are taking it all one step at a time, I spend a great deal of time with Jason and we have a great relationship and work well together when it comes to media exposure, it’s all coming together nicely.”
Quigley was on the radar of Sheer’s Director of Scouting, Courage Tshabalala, who worked with the unbeaten 7-0 (7ko) middleweight while he was with LA Matadors in the World Series of Boxing.
In the WSB, Quigley had wins over Vitali Bandarenka (Moscow Dynamo) and Troy Trevor O’Meley (Bankok Elephant) and Tshabalala – a heavyweight contender with a 26-4 record between 1993 and 2005 – saw the potential dripping from the Irishman.
Tshabalala discussed Quigley with Chales and Ken Sheer – whose team is completed by Lyle Green – and a meeting was arranged, via Manny Robles (Quigley’s current trainer who trained him in his LA Matador days), with the boxer and his father.
In a recent interview, Green outlined the type of boxer Sheer Sports have their radars on.
“We’re looking at fighters with personality and character, as well as fighting talent.”
It wasn’t by sheer coincidence they came upon Quigley.
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