Bruce eyes another belt at Sugar Bert championships

Welterweight boxer Bruce Lee Coulson has his eyes set on another belt as he heads off to the Sugar Bert Title Belt National Championships in Kissimmee Florida this weekend.

Coulson moved on to the final stage of the tournament after winning his division at the qualifiers in Georgia at the end of August. The Red Bay resident will put his 7-0 amateur record on the line at the 19-21 November competition.

Coulson won the welterweight division at the qualifiers in August.

Coulson won the welterweight division at the qualifiers in August.

He said he has been trying to stay focused ahead of the tournament, after not performing as well as he wanted to despite getting a win against England’s Billy Jackson on the Elite Marble and Granite Fight Night 3 card in October.

“Nuff people told me that fight wasn’t me,” he said of the hard-fought decision against his opponent from London, which could have gone either way. “I told them I wasn’t focusing but this time I don’t want to [make] the same mistake again.”

Knowing that he wasn’t totally focused for that fight, possibly from the attention garnered after the recent Sugar Bert success when he returned home with a belt, Coulson said he has been pushing himself in recent weeks to be 100 percent ready for what’s ahead.

“It has me mentally ready. I have to end up focusing harder than I was. Right now, I’m pushing myself to make sure that I come home with the belt,” he said.

“This time I’m building myself up for the more knockdown approach. I’m not going to be playing with it. This time my focus is doing what I want and just come home with it,” said Coulson, who won one of his fights in August by KO before putting his next opponent on the canvas en route to earning the decision.

In his ears to help keep him focused and motivated is inspirational music including some songs featured in movies like Rocky and 300. He has also been working on his cardio to ensure he has the stamina to be standing at the end of the weekend tournament.

Coulson puts in final preparations with Anglin.

Coulson puts in final preparations with Anglin.

There will be a switch in Coulson’s corner from the qualifiers. Traveling with him will be trainer Nayon ‘Donie’ Anglin, while national team coach Ryan Barrett remains at home.

“He’s looking good as usual,” Anglin said, noting that they’ve been trying to get in as much sparring as possible the past few days. “He already knows how to fight. He needed to get the sparring, the conditioning and keeping his mind sharp and his hands sharp,” he added.

So, what does Anglin, who has trained the fighter for some time, expect in Florida? “Bruce Lee. He’s going to fight, not give up [and] be there till the end. He has no fear. He’s a fighter,” the trainer said, adding that he expects Coulson to maintain his aggression and not be conservative with his powerful right hand.

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