The 20-year-old defeated Welshman Chuck Jones at Peterlee Leisure Centre on a night when Nigel Wright had hoped to pay tribute Gus by beating Ashley Theophane and winning his late manager a British title.

Nigel, sadly, was forced to pull out on medical grounds but Peter Cope did fight and outboxed Jones for a 40-36 victory.

Young Peter produced some exciting stuff, particularly in the first three rounds, against the tough Welsh opponent.

“I was happy with the fight,” said coach and dad Peter.

“Peter is still building his experience – he is only 20 and that was just his fourth fight.

“He is learning and improving all the time and his attitude is out of the top drawer.

“It was nice for the gym that Peter won, it’s been a hard time for everyone, first losing Gus, and then seeing Nigel’s fight get called off.

“Gus was our supporter, friend and mentor and it has been a harrowing time for everyone connected with the gym.

“He would have wanted us to go on, be professional and do well and I think we’ve done that.”

Gus Robinson boxing’s head coach, Peter Cope, has spoken of his pride at the way 2011 finished for his fighting sons.

Professional prospect Peter Cope Jnr ended the year with his fourth straight win while Gus Robinson Developments ABC star Danny Cope reached the final of the ABA Novices Championship.

Danny’s appearance in the big showpiece event in Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre ended in a 32-26 defeat to Waltham Forest’s Ronnie Nwkakeze, but there was no disgrace in losing out in the high-scoring match.

Peter Snr said: “Daniel was honest enough to say he had lost but getting to the final was a great achievement for him and the gym.

“He has done very well this year and worked hard with Tony and Wayne and I hope he kicks on from here.”

While Danny, 21, missed out on the south coast, there were no problems for younger brother Peter, who extended his winning streak as a pro to four fights by outclassing Chuck Jones on the same night over four rounds.

“We said that if we got four fights for Peter this year that we’d be happy,” said coach and dad, who has two other sons in the Gus Robinson Developments gym, Adam, 15, and Luke, 14.

“I’m proud of all my children and I was torn on the night that I couldn’t get to see Daniel’s final.

“I try to get to see every bout my lads have, but I couldn’t be in two places at once.

“Peter and Daniel have both had fabulous years and they are both improving all the time.”

Wright was “ready” to take on the talented Londoner on Saturday at Peterlee Leisure Centre, where he hoped a packed and partisan crowd would cheer him to victory.

However, there was an issue with Wright’s annual routine brain scan which has been referred to a team of independent specialists by the British Boxing Board of Control.

The verdict from those consultants would not be ready by Saturday so the decision was taken to call off the bout.

“It’s another devastating blow,” said Cope. “I know there is never a good time for something like this, but this could not have come at a worse time.

“Coming less than three weeks after we lost Gus this has come and knocked us all sick.

“Everyone was up for Saturday. We’ll never get over losing Gus, he was our inspiration and our mentor, but we had got on with the job, professionally and thoroughly, as he would have wanted.

“Nigel was ready for Saturday and I was confident that this was going to be our time.

“Yes, Theophane is a good boxer and champion and while we’d had a few injury niggles along the way, Nigel was spot on physically and mentally.

“For this to happen is horrible, Nigel is absolutely shell-shocked.

“He is a proper nice kid, from a nice family, and this is awaful.

“I’m gutted for Nigel and the whole Gus Robinson team, but his health is paramount and all this has to be checked out.

“He is a husband and a dad and his health has got to come first.”

Peter Cope Jnr will face Welshman Chuck Jones in his fourth professional bout at Peterlee Leisure Centre on Thursday night.

The Gus Robinson prospect has so far defeated a Scotsman, Ryan McNicol (twice) and a Latvian, Pavels Senkovs, in a promising start to his career as a pro.

Jones, a 21-year-old from Wales, is his next opponent as he makes his first appearance on a televised show.

Two draws  are the only positive results in a nine-fight log for Jones though Cope Jnr is well aware he cannot be taken for granted.

“I know he is a strong boxer who likes to come forward so hopefully that will help me,” said the 20-year-old. “He has fought a lot of unbeaten fighters so his record might be a bit misleading.

“I have to make sure I am prepared and go out and win the fight.”

Cope will be cheered on by his own huge army of fans at Peterlee and he hopes to put on another entertaining performance.

“The people who come along to support me are fantastic and I can’t thank them enough.

“Hopefully I can put on  a good show for them.”

The British Boxing Board of Control had ordered champ Ashley Theophane to defend against Wright this year and the contest went out to purse bids.

FTM Promotions, the company of Frank Maloney, won the purse bids but, as yet, no date or venue have been officially announced.

Wright has boxed on two events involving FTM Promotions, his English light-welterweight championship wins against Dean Harrison (at Houghton-le-Spring) and Nicki Smedley (in Sheffield).

Wright, manager Gus Robinson and coach Peter Cope are looking forward to working again with the Londoner, but are desperate for some “firm news”.

Cope said: “The date December 10^th has been mentioned but nothing formal has been said.

“We’d love the fight to be up in this area but, again, we are waiting for firm news.

“Nigel is fit and he’s training every day but, obviously, not at full pelt.

“He’s a naturally fit lad and he doesn’t abuse his body in any way, but at the age of 32, you can’t be thrashing him day after day and week after week in training.

“We need a concrete day to work to and then we can build our programme.

“Nigel is fine and, mentally, he’s right up for it.”

]]> http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/12/patience-is-a-virtue-2/feed/ 0 http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/12/ready-willing-and-able/ http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/12/ready-willing-and-able/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:03:41 +0000 admin http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/?p=989

Peter Cope Jnr is in training and waiting to see when his next professional date will be.

The 20-year-old talent has reeled off three wins in the pro game – two against gritty Scotsman Ryan McNicol and one against Pavels Senkovs at the Summer Rumble at the Stadium of Light.

It’s all running smoothly for Cope, who is managed by Gus Robinson and trained by dad, Peter Snr.

“He’s looking good,” said dad. “It’s early days for him in his career and it’s all about learning and building experience.

“Obviously he is champing at the bit to fight again.

“Boxers want fights and he’s got a great group of supporters who want to see him in action again.

“We’re just waiting on an opportunity for him.”

Cope’s arm of fans made his last appearance a noisy affair at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

Facing McNicol at the Houghton venue in September’s Summer Rumble 2, Cope was awarded a 40-36 win on the scorecard of Northumberland referee Andrew Wright.

When he used his long right jab, the former Junior ABA champ looked the proverbial million dollars, though when McNicol did close the gap, he was more effective and did not make it easy for the Hartlepool prospect.

Peter Cope will face a re-match with Ryan McNicol when he lines up for the third time as a professional this Sunday when Summer Rumble 2 is staged at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

The 20-year-old super-bantamweight beat McNicol on points on his pro debut back in March in Doncaster.

McNicol, who was also an opponent for former Gus Robinson pro Michael O’Gara, will be no pushover as young Peter discovered at the Dome, where he was awarded a 40-37 success.

“McNicol’s a tough nut,” said coach Peter Cope Snr.

“He’s not the tallest but he’s a very powerfully built lad and if he landed a big right over the top then it could spell trouble.

“But Peter’s a good intelligent boxer and if he uses his skills then I’ll be confident of winning.

“Peter boxed well against him the first time but McNicol did well in the last round so he may be fancying a little bit of a go on Sunday.

“I see Peter improving all the time and that’s what I’m looking for on Sunday.”

No sooner had the excitement settled on Peter Cope Jnr’s second professional appearance, he is ready to go for a hat-trick.

The Gus Robinson-managed super-bantamweight wowed the big Stadium of Light crowd at the Summer Rumble in July, when he outpointed Nottinghamshire-based Latvian Pavels Senkovs.

It was a dynamic display by a young boxer carrying the exciting form he showed in the amateur ranks into the pro game.

Cope is now set to appear on Summer Rumble 2 at Houghton-le-Spring, the second instalment promoted by Wearside fight figure Phil Jeffries in association with top trainer Neil Fannan.

“It’s a great event for Peter to start his new season,” said trainer and dad, Peter.

“I think everyone enjoyed the original Summer Rumble.

“Peter boxed very well in front of a big crowd and me and Alan (Temple) were very pleased with him.

“His fans enjoyed it and we’re hoping they will come back and support him at Rainton Meadows Arena.”

Young Peter, 20, is part of an 11-bout spectacular, which also includes his former Gus Robinson Developments ABC team-mate Paul Archer.

His fellow 20-year-old is also undefeated with his record standing at three wins from three.

]]> http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/09/ready-to-rumble-%e2%80%a6-again/feed/ 0 http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/07/the-light-fantastic/ http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/2011/07/the-light-fantastic/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:30:15 +0000 admin http://www.gusrobinsonpromotions.com/?p=974 Peter Cope Jnr wowed a big crowd at the Stadium of Light to record his second win as a professional.

The Gus Robinson-managed super-bantamweight turned on the style in a four-round points win over Mansfield’s Pavels Senkovs.

The 21-year-old Latvian, now based in the Robin Hood gym in Nottinghamshire, gave a gutsy display but Cope produced some brilliant boxing to get the 40-37 verdict from referee Andrew Wright.

Both boxers set off at a tremendous pace at the Summer Rumble, with Cope roared on by a huge travelling support which never stopped singing and cheering.

And the ‘Copey crew’ had plenty to cheer as the southpaw showed tremendous accuracy with both fists.

Several times the 20-year-old pinned Senkovs on the ropes in the opening three rounds as he let his punches flow.

Senkovs, to his credit, hung in there and then surprised the former Junior ABA champion in the last with a sustained assault of his own.

Cope shook off his opponent’s bright start and found his range again to end a very worthy winner.

His corner of dad and coach Peter Cope Snr and Alan Temple were delighted.

“A couple of people thought Peter had tired in the last,” said ‘old’ Peter.

“That wasn’t the case, I just think Senkovs came out and gave it a real go in the last and it took Peter a minute or so to get back into it.

“Senkovs is a tough, tough lad, who has only ever been stopped on cuts. He gave it a go and it was a good learning fight for Peter – it was only his second bout.

“I was very impressed with Peter though. He boxed very well.”

Young boxing prospect Peter Cope is set to make his second professional appearance on Sunday at the Stadium of Light.

The Gus Robinson-managed super-bantamweight will meet Pavels Senkovs over four rounds.

Cope will box on the undercard of the Northern Area cruiserweight title showdown between David Dolan and Jon Lewis Dickinson.

It is part of an eight-fight bill which has been tagged as the Summer Rumble.

Cope is looking forward to the big show, according top coach (and dad) Peter senior.

“Peter made a good start as a pro back in March,” said the head coach at the Gus Robinson gym.

“He had to have a break after his car crash but he’s been back training and he’s looking good.

“It’s just good to see him back in the ring again and we’re looking forward to it.”

The 21-year-old fighter will be backed by a big travelling army at the Sunderland football arena.

He will start as a hot favourite against the Latvian boxer, who is based in Nottinghamshire.

And his manager explained how proud he was to see Cope Junior progress from the amateur club which bears his name to the professional ranks.

“We are growing from grass roots so it has been nice to see one of our boxers make the transition into the professionals,” said Gus.

“We had a bit of a purple patch in the early 90s and it’s nice to see things moving nicely again.

“That gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

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