Professional career
In October 2008, Gavin announced that he would turn professional. He signed a contract with promoter Frank Warren and agreed to be trained by Anthony Farnell in Manchester. [6] [7] He made his pro-debut at the National Indoor Arena in his home city of Birmingham on 28 February 2009, stopping George Kadaria in the fourth round. [8]
On 18 September 2010 at LG Arena in Birmingham, he won his first professional title by defeating Michael Kelly in the fifth round for the Irish light-welterweight title. He qualified to fight for the title as his parents are Irish. [9]
Gavin won the British welterweight title on 1 November 2012, by dethroning defending champion Junior Witter via unanimous decision at York Hall in London. [10] [11]
He made a successful first defense of the title with a seventh round stoppage win over Jason Welborn at the Town Hall in Walsall on 18 January 2013. [12] [13]
Gavin faced unbeaten Commonwealth welterweight champion, Denton Vassell, at Liverpool Olympia on 28 June 2013, with both their titles up for grabs. He unleashed a heavy onslaught of blows in the seventh round leaving his opponent with a broken jaw which caused the fight to be stopped on the advice of the ringside doctor at the end of the round. [14] [15]
On 21 September 2013 at the Copper Box Arena in London, he defended both his titles against David Barnes, winning by unanimous decision. [16] [17]
At Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on 29 Match 2014, Gavin survived being knocked to the canvas in the second round by Sacky Shikukutu to go on and retain his Commonwealth title via unanimous decision. [18] [19]
In his next fight, he lost his unbeaten record and Commonwealth title to European welterweight champion, Leonard Bundu, suffering a split decision defeat at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton on 1 August 2014. One of the ringside judges scored the fight 117–115 in his favour, but was overruled by his two colleagues who both saw it 114–113 for his opponent. [20] [21]
Gavin retained the now vacant Commonwealth crown, and defended his British title, with a unanimous decision win over Bradley Skeete at ExCeL in London on 29 November 2014. [22]
He challenged IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook at The O2 Arena in London on 30 May 2015, losing by stoppage in the sixth round. [23] [24]
Gavin lost to local rival Sam Eggington by eighth round technical knockout at Arena Birmingham on 22 October 2016. [25] [26]
He was scheduled to challenge European welterweight champion Kerman Lejarraga at BEC Bizkaia Arena in Bilbao, Spain, on 17 November 2018, but failed to make the required weight by almost 5lbs. [27] [28] The fight went ahead with the title no longer up for grabs and Gavin was knocked out in the fourth round. [29] [30]
Gavin announced his retirement from professional boxing in May 2020. [31] [32]
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