Lovintz Tota On Boxing, Turning Pro & More
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Lovintz Tota knows he is in a race against Father Time after moving to Greater Manchester, England, to fast-track his professional boxing career.
At 36, Tota plans to turn professional at an age when most boxers are considering hanging up the gloves.
However, the Bermudian is adamant age will not count against him and believes his natural athleticism and clean lifestyle will provide the longevity he requires to achieve his goals in the ring.
Tota started training at the Team Greaves gym in Hollinwood, Oldham, last week under the guidance of coach Marvin Greaves and hopes to make his pro debut before this summer.
“I’m old in age, but my body is youthful,” Tota told Bernews. “I’m athletically gifted; I can push my body like a youngster.
“I didn’t want to turn 50 or 60 and know I could have gone pro and that I didn’t put everything in it. That’s what makes people unhappy.
“A lot of people put their insecurities into you. They say, ‘Look at your age.’ They try and put restrictions on you. I believe in myself and will do everything I can to be successful.”
Tota was encouraged to lace up the gloves by a friend six years who believed it could aid his recovery after suffering a broken leg in a car crash.
Boxing soon became more of an obsession than therapy, and it was not long before he was making his amateur debut at the Dover Boxing Club Annual Slugfest in New Jersey three years ago.
After chalking up three more successive wins, the former Devonshire Cougars footballer looked set to represent Bermuda at the Americas Olympic qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May last year before its cancellation because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Had it not been for Covid-19 travel restrictions, Tota would have moved to Greater Manchester two years ago to begin his pro boxing journey.
“It’s been two years since my last fight,” the welterweight said. “I’ve sparred with the likes of Nikki [Bascome] and Andre [Lambe], and I felt that if I had elite-level training like these guys, I’d do well too.”
Tota said he “clicked straight away” with his new coach Greaves, a former pro who had six wins from nine bouts before retiring after a brain scan showed he was unfit to fight.
“He knows what he needs me to work on,” said Tota, whose skills were honed in Bermuda by Janos Lindsey of Just Box Limited.
“Marvin knows his stuff, and it felt natural working with him as soon as we started doing the pads.
“There are regular boxing events out here in the UK; I can get fights every month if I want. I hope to get six or seven fights this year.”
