JOSH BUATSI has warned pal Cheavon Clarke he will take their wheely intense rivalry to the wrestling mat if rain ruins their bike rides.
The British boxing pair have spent two months of lockdown zooming around Kent and south London to keep their fitness and competitive edges razor sharp.
Long-distance bike rides are keeping boxing pals Josh Buatsi and Cheavon Clarke competitive during lockdownCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Buatsi admits their morale-boosting clashes could get physical if their bike rides are washed outCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Amateur ace Clarke, 29, has had the edge but light-heavy pro JB reckons his training partner for the last three years just has the better bike.
And if the rain washes out their three-hour rides — clocking up to 60km per spin — Buatsi insists their morale-boosting clashes could get physical.
After their last sun-drenched dash, Buatsi, 27, told SunSport: “Chev wins most of our races but he has the faster bike.
“He knows that if we had the same bike then he would never get near me.
“But I am not sure I will fancy much more cycling if the weather has turned.
“He is fast but I already beat him at sprints, I would beat him at golf and at tennis as well.
“And if we have to take our competition indoors, I will definitely beat him at wrestling. I am a good wrestler.”
Heavyweight Clarke’s side of the story is vastly different.
Buatsi is approaching a year without a bout because of an injury but hopes to fight after lockdownCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The Tokyo Olympics hopeful claims Nike-sponsored Buatsi is kitted out in all the top gear.
And he has some advice for his pal, who finds the hills around England’s garden a real pain in the backside.
When informed of his mate’s claim, Clarke laughed: “Josh has the expensive bike.
“I have a complete beginners’ bike and he has the top-of-the-range model.
“He even went all-out and got himself the famous Bradley Wiggins helmet.
“He still complains about some of the big hills around Kent. One was so steep I thought he was going to get off and run up it.
“He gets a bit saddle-sore, too — after a couple of hours it’s a real problem.
“I told him to get his sponsors to send him some shorts with the padding built in.”
The comedy double act get deadly serious when talking about their sport.
Amateur Cheavon Clarke is hoping to reach the Tokyo Olympics next year.Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Buatsi is approaching a year without a bout because of an injury although Eddie Hearn’s grand plans for behind-closed-doors boxing will have to be ideal to lure the Ghana-born fighter back into the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Clarke’s Olympic dreams hang in the balance, with eyes now hopefully on the rearranged Tokyo 2021.
And the ex-lorry driver dreads the idea of giving up on a gold medal after three years on the team in Sheffield.
The wait is agonising and both fighters have different ways of passing the time.
Buatsi said: “I downloaded a language app and wanted to learn some Arabic.
“I just wanted a basic introduction with phrases like ‘thank you’ and ‘good morning’.
“It was going OK until it started trying to teach me the alphabet but I wasn’t having that. I have deleted the app.”
Lycra-loving Clarke just wants more miles on the clock.
He said: “Before lockdown the only riding I would do would be on the exercise bike.
“But some other friends and I have got the bug. We did the 1,407km distance between Land’s End and John O’Groats, and over the next three months we are going to do the 4,800km it is from California to Maryland for the Great American Race.
“It will be hard — but easier than being punched around by Josh in sparring.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
