Written by Oscar Pick
BEING a parent can completely change a fighter's mindset. In no time, the thought of risking and making huge sacrifices will seem less appealing as instead they make a conscious effort to minimize the occupational risks associated with boxing.
This may cause some to give up the brutal work they loved. However, for some, the responsibility of providing for their family can find a completely new motivation, where their childhood dreams are not hindered but enhanced.
“There are large structures in the line. If I don't do well, my salary goes down,” said Kieron Conway, who about a month ago welcomed a new addition to his family.
“[My daughter] you need to have a certain lifestyle – you need to eat; you need to be dressed; you need to be accommodated.
“It's about him now; it's all about my family.”
It seems, the opportunity to earn life-changing sums of money could not have come at a better time for Conway.
When Matchroom's Prizefighter competition returns, the 28-year-old has the chance to not only raise his name in the middleweight division, but also, if he makes it to the finals, take home a lucrative $1million bonus.
“It's big,” he said. “There are fighters in this competition who try to discredit money, saying that it does not motivate them.
“But let's be honest, if you weren't motivated by money, you wouldn't be in this competition.
“So, we'll call it what it is. $1 million for three fights is a little more than what we're used to.”
Conway returns to the ring following a dominant sixth round victory over former British titleholder Linus Udofia in October last year.
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 05: Kieron Conway of Great Britain looks on during the press conference ahead of the WBA Featherweight Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington event at The Cutler's Hall on October 05, 2023 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
His momentum was halted when the Prizefigher quarterfinals – now in Suita, Japan, on July 15 – were postponed for several months.
But the delay, however frustrating, has given Conway more time to prepare for his opponent, Ainiwaer Yilixiati – a mysterious striker from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest China.
“It was hard to get much out of him, but I got what I thought was enough,” Conway said.
“I think he will try to take me out, because his record has a lot of points, but [his opponents] they are not at this level.
“These people should not even enter the ring; I don't know if they've ever learned boxing – all these guys were punching.
“I don't care how strong you are. When my fists land in his face, and square in the middle of his nose, there's going to be a different game plan going in.
“I'm a lot bigger than him, and I know how my fists are going to feel on fight night.”
Undefeated middleweights Aaron McKenna and Mark Dickinson will join Conway in the quarter-finals which, unlike previous Prizefighter tournaments, are each set to 10 rounds – the semi-finals and final taking place on separate nights.
The longer format, however, should suit Conway, who in the previous bout promoted by Boxxer, lost for the first time following a three-round semi-final fight.
“I came to that tournament expecting to win, because those guys were not at my level,” he admitted.
So that loss really kicked me; it put me in a new gear and gave me a different attitude.”
Since then, Conway has worked his way down to super-welterweight, where he sparred with Ted Cheeseman in a British barnburner (below) and, nearly two years later, lost a narrow decision to Souleymane Cissokho.
Action Photos/Andrew Boyers
Now, having responded impressively to those setbacks, he campaigns at 160 lbs, using the extra weight to further develop his punching power, which, despite his track record suggesting otherwise, has often caused problems for his opponents.
“The potential has always been there,” Conway said. “My novice coach said I was one of the toughest players he had ever heard on the pads.
“I think people are realizing pretty soon that they're going to fight that it's not the kind of energy you want to go into and get beaten.”
Along with the $1 million carrot dangling from the winner, there are also $100k in bonuses up for grabs in each round of the tournament.
But financial incentives aside, Conway knows exactly what winning this reboot of Prizefighter will mean to his career.
Since the age of 11, he has been coached by his father, James Conway, in Northampton, and when he won the world title there was always a lot of attention on him, he always thought that he might make a game at the Northampton Saints rugby stadium. .
This, for Conway, is reason enough to stay in his hometown, where he can support his family and drum up a potential fight on the field.
“It's good that I can be a father at home while I finish my training camp,” he said.
“Many people would say that [staying at home is] a distraction but, while there are a few days [after my daughter was born] when it was difficult to sleep, I could still breathe and continue with my energy and my condition. My fiancé is very understanding too.
“My goals are to keep winning and keep building a fan base. I have a great support system in Northampton, so I think that, one day, [a stadium fight] it can be very dangerous. “
It's fair to say that, come fight night, the future of Conway's boxing career – and any accolades or awards that may follow – will hang in the balance.
The prices are, in fact, very high.
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