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He's sparred with Carl Frampton and impressed Barry McGuigan, now Billy 'The Butcher' Stuart wants a shot at the British super bantamweight title


By Craig Christie

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A BRITISH title belt could soon be within the reach of Banffshire’s boxing star Billy ‘The Butcher’ Stuart.

Billy 'The Butcher' Stuart in action.
Billy 'The Butcher' Stuart in action.

The Macduff lad has clocked up a perfect ten victories in his professional career since gaining international success as an amateur.

Stuart (21), whose younger brother Callum followed him into the pro circuit and won his first three bouts, has sparred with world champion Carl Frampton and caught the eye of legendary Irish fighter Barry McGuigan.

Already a Celtic title holder himself, the Northern Sporting Club boxer has set his sights on a Scottish title or even a crack at current British and Commonwealth super bantamweight champ Brad Foster.

“We’ve had a Scottish title in the pipeline for a while now,” Stuart said. “I don’t mind, I could even bypass that and go for a British title. If I don’t win that in my career I don’t think I’ll be happy.

“Brad Foster is only a year older than me but he holds the British title and that’s who I’m looking to be fighting, I want that fight this year or next. I don’t mind, as long as it happens.

“I’ve watched him fighting, he is a good boxer but I just feel that I’m better. I’ve been in the sport longer than he has and I’m just asking for the opportunity to show I can beat him.

“It might come across to some folk as cocky but I just believe in myself. There’s no point in doing boxing if you don’t; I think that’s the way every boxer has to be.”

Stuart has ever reason to have great self-confidence. He began boxing with his local Deveron ABC in Macduff at the age of seven, wasn’t allowed to compete until he was 11 and almost immediately won a Scottish schoolboy title.

He picked up national titles in every year of his amateur career, regularly fought for Scotland and travelled the world with his sport.

“I was everywhere, in one year I was in five different countries boxing,” he said.

“I was a month in Russia for a training camp with a competition at the end of it.

“The furthest I’ve travelled was to Samoa for the Youth Commonwealth Games [in 2015]. I came home with a silver medal [losing his final to current Commonwealth Games champion James McGivern] but I wasn’t too impressed because I wanted the gold.”

He made the step-up to professional boxing at the age of 18, and hasn’t looked back since.

Training opportunities included a visit to British hero Ricky Hatton’s gym, where he sparred with Hatton’s fighter Zhanat Zhakiyanov who was on his way to winning the world bantamweight title.

Former two-weight world champ Frampton also lined Stuart up as a sparring partner to prepare for a world title fight, and the Macduff youngster impressed legend McGuigan who was coaching his fellow Irishman at the time.

“I spoke a bit to Carl Frampton who said he thought I was a good boxer and to keep doing what I’m doing,” said Stuart.

Soon Stuart was winning the Boxing Union of Ireland Celtic title with a win over Dylan McDonagh last April, while younger brother Callum was making his pro debut on the same bill.


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