RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Josh Padley, who before this week was largely unknown outside of British boxing circles, has said he can “definitely” beat lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson on Saturday.
Padley (15-0, 4 KOs) got the call on Tuesday night asking if he could replace Floyd Schofield, who had to withdraw from the fight due to illness.
The 29-year-old from Yorkshire, who still works as an electrician in the north of England, did not hesitate when asked if he wanted to take a fight that could change his life.
Padley had been on the tools on Tuesday morning. He didn’t know it then, but in the next 24-hours he would be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia preparing for the opportunity to become a world champion.
“I’d been at work that morning, done a bit of training. I’d just put the tea on with my fiancé,” Padley told ESPN in Riyadh.
“I was just about to eat … so that meal got skipped because I had to do a check-weight! I had to jump through a few hoops and that to get here but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It was a standard week, working the day job. Obviously still training the boxing because that is what I live and breathe. Tuesday night the dream phone call would come in .. world title shot, Shakur Stevenson on late notice. Can you do it? I went ‘yes please.'”
It is a testament to Padley’s commitment to the sport that he was still in shape and at a suitable weight to make the fight on three days’ notice.
Padley had a career best win over Mark Chamberlain at Wembley Stadium in September. That victory was deemed an upset. If he can get something against Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs), it would arguably be one of the biggest in all of sports.
Stevenson is ESPN’s No. 3 ranked lightweight fighter and No. 9 on the pound-for-pound list.
Asked if he truly believes he can beat the WBC champion, Padley said: “Definitely. I still train, even though I haven’t had a camp as such and I’m not as fine-tuned as I should be, I still train all the time.
“I’m still sparring, still doing my strength, cross fit sessions and regular runs. I’m in there [to win] and I know I can do it.”
Running on adrenaline, Padley hit the gym on Thursday to make the most of the limited preparation time he has.
“I was a bit tired [Thursday] morning. We landed at 7 a.m. I had a little snooze until 10 [a.m.]. I think the sheer excitement and everything that’s going on is just masking anything like that. So I just keep going.”
Stevenson’s promoter Eddie Hearn hailed Padley for saving the fight.
“I’m so happy for Josh Padley to be honest with you,” Hearn told ESPN.
“He beat Mark Chamberlain — who was His Excellency’s [Turki Alalshikh] little project. He’s going to make enough money to buy himself a nice house, pay off a mortgage and fight for the championship.
“He will give it everything by the way. He won’t just come in and hide, he will give it to Shakur.
“[But] Shakur is Shakur and I expect him to look sensational.”