Dean Garnett (6-0 MMA 1-0 CWFC) makes his return to the Cage Warriors cage on 16th August and while the fight has only just been announced its no bother to the Next Generation prospect who spends most of his days in the Liverpool gym. “To be fair I was already in the gym and have been consistently since my last fight (which was at Cage Warriors 68) when I took the bout, so the shorter notice is irrelevant.”
The undefeated Featherweight takes on Ireland’s Martin Sheridan, who most recently faced Garnett’s training partner Paddy Pimblett. Having studied his last fight closely Garnett is expecting a tough fight when he touches gloves with Sheridan who boasts a record of 7-5. “I think he is dangerous and I have full respect for his capabilities. However I don’t see any other outcome than a win. I am going to be looking for the finish but I know he is durable and isn’t someone who will quit.”
Cage Warriors 70 takes place the Helix, Dublin so it won’t just be Martin Sheridan who Garnett will be facing but also a fierce local crowd that will want to see nothing more than Sheridan’s hand raised. But Garnett is no stranger to fighting against a hometown fighter, having beat Conrad Hayes at GPUK in Hayes hometown of Stoke On Trent and will embrace the crowd come fight night. “I enjoy both ends of the spectrum equally. The pressure from having home support is a bonus but so is the buzz of fighting with a partisan crowd against you!”
Every time Garnett steps into the cage he places his unbeaten record on the line but his finishing rate during his fights is a testament not only to his skill set but also to his mindset as a fighter as someone who is willing to go out there and put on a show for the fans. And while a zero in the loss column is important to some Garnett feels that there are more important things to worry about as a professional fighter. “I don’t think unbeaten records are all that important. Fighters need to be more concerned about the calibre of the guys they are fighting and their level of performance, rather than being precious about their “0”.”
A win over Sheridan at Cage Warriors 70 would increase Garnett’s overall record to seven fights unbeaten and potentially open up the door to a few more higher ranked opponents. While the Cage Warriors Bantamweight division has a lot to offer in terms of higher ranked competition Garnett is solely focused on the job at hand and is not entertaining the thought of anyone other than Martin Sheridan. “I am taking each fight as they are put in front of me. Im sure I will have someone in mind once I have done the job in Dublin. The introduction of the four nations belt definitely excites me, but to give myself a chance I need to keep winning fights.”
Garnett who started his career fighting for Liverpool based promotion OMMAC made the switch to Cage Warriors in early 2014 following the success of his teammates (Danny Roberts, Patrick Pimblett) and it was a pretty easy decision for the upcoming fighter to make. “The show is undoubtedly the best in Europe and their Channel 4 deal and busy worldwide schedule is just the beginning. Signing for Cage Warriors was a major goal of mine since deciding to take the sport seriously and turn professional.”
Having made the switch to professional fighter Garnett is accustomed to living on a fighters salary and while at times things may be difficult for those on the smaller shows, Dean is looking to take full advantage of the exposure generated by the ever growing Cage Warriors promotion. “There is no easy money in this sport, so being with Cage Warriors will definitely help due to their large audiences. I am hoping to maximise the funds I generate from each fight to help support my training. I took home two bonuses on my last fight so the incentive to perform and make extra money is definitely there.”
A native of Liverpool Garnett has spent his career learning his trade at the Next Generation gym and aswell as training also plays a big role in coaching the amateur team. So what prospects should we be looking out for in the coming years? “We are always striving to produce the next batch of talented and fundamentally sound athletes. One amateur in particular is Aaron Robinson, who recently beat Javonne Morrison for the FCC Belt. He is set to take on Dominic Wooding in October. We will hopefully see him turn professional before the year is out but I expect him to do big things in a short period of time. I genuinely believe he is the best amateur in the UK!”
Dean Garnett is one of many diamonds being shaped in the Next Generation gym under the guidance of head coach Paul Rimmer and a win at Cage Warriors 70 will definitely open up some big opportunities for the undefeated Bantamweight.
Dean would like to thank “All my coaches for their help. Paddy Pimblett, Adam Ventre and Ellis Hampson for their sparring throughout this camp.”
Be sure to follow Dean on twitter @dean_garnett
Keep up to date with the Cage Warriors 70 fight card at http://www.cagewarriors.com/events-and-tickets/article/cage_warriors_70