By Anthony Cocks

Classy Australian featherweight contender Nathaniel ‘Cheeky’ May 20-1 (11) is looking forward to returning to the ring ahead of a world title run in 2019.

The 23-year-old from Bunbury, Western Australia has logged impressive wins in recent fights with victories of Aelio Mesquita and Randy Braga helping to boost his world ranking with the IBF and the WBO where he is ranked number six and nine respectively. In his last outing in October he knocked off the rust with a dominant eight-round points win over Ruslan Berchuk in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“I only took boxing up for fitness, so I didn’t think I’d get this far. Now I’m in the top six with the IBF and the top eight with the WBO, so it’s mind-blowing,” May told GWN7 News.

“I’m from Bunbury and I’ve done it, so anybody else is capable of doing it. Just dream big and don’t let anybody put you down.”

2018 was a year of re-calibration for May after his longtime trainer Peter Stokes passed away from cancer. Losing ‘Stokesy’, a popular figure in the fight game, precipitated a move to the United States for May, who has now settled in to the famed Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood where coach Freddie Roach has taken him under his wing.

“I train with Freddie Roach and he works you hard. I think because of the calibre of fighters he’s got under his name, you work to your best because it’s the great Freddie Roach,” said May.

“I had nine months out of the ring before my last fight, so I was a bit rusty, but now I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring again.”

Expect an announcement on May’s next fight in the coming weeks.