Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Rope and Sling Specialists Ltd. (RSS) has delivered a new pair of gloves to Warrington middleweight boxer Luke Turner, who will make his professional debut later this year.
Turner, 20, has already laced up the 10oz Cleto Reyes gloves, donated by the RSS depot in his hometown, where his father, Glynn, is workshop engineer.
Turner crosses over to the professional ranks following a highly successful amateur career, which spanned over 50 bouts, and included three national titles — the most recent of which was last year.
“I’m grateful to RSS for buying me the new gloves and appreciate the support at a pivotal moment in my career,” said Turner, who boxes from an orthodox stance. “Not only are they important tools of the trade, but a feature of pro boxing is the lighter gloves fighters wear compared to amateur or sparring gloves, so it’s important that I get as much practice with them as possible.”
RSS offers a comprehensive portfolio of lifting and rigging products, in addition to live365 digitalisation and compliance technology. It supplies blocks, shackles, hooks, slings, harnesses, and other rigging gear — all covered by periodic Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) inspections — to some of the UK’s most notable joint ventures, consortiums, large-scale infrastructure projects, and blue chip firms.
The business is a serial philanthropist and has supported a long list of sports teams through a nationwide network of depots. Stephen Littler, regional manager, acted swiftly to offer his backing to Turner, upon learning that he was giving up full-time work for a local street lighting company to concentrate fully on his boxing career.
Littler said: “Like the business, I am passionate about supporting the up-and-coming sporting talent around Rotherham and Warrington, where we have two bustling facilities. Individual sports are particularly demanding and stepping up to professional boxing will present Luke and his family with new financial and other challenges, especially as his debut looms large. It’s an honour to handover the pair of gloves so he can leave no stone unturned in preparation for the fight.”
Turner trains at Everton Red Triangle ABC under the tutelage of Paul Stevenson and Anthony Humphries and has recently signed a landmark contract with a promotor that has connections with the television networks that broadcast his sport. Clean living and super fit, the 5’10”-tall pugilist will be 72.5kg (160 lbs.) when he steps between the ropes — and the new 10oz mitts are making his knuckles itch.
“Hitting the bag with the new gloves only makes me more excited about getting my professional journey underway,” he said. “I’m already training multiple sessions every day, so there aren’t many more gears to go through to get ready — I’ll work with Paul and Ant on finer details and the frequency of sparring sessions will increase as fight night approaches. I feel strong at the weight and can put pressure on my opponents when I sense opportunity, but if I have to be elusive and wait for openings I can do that as well.”
- Turner is seeking additional sponsorship and would welcome approaches from local businesses looking to gain exposure through partnership with a pro fighter. He can be contacted via WhatsApp on 07484 863 012.
Contact for editorial enquiries: Steve Hutin, managing director, Rope and Sling Specialists Ltd., [email protected]
