IN THE SHADOWS
AS the wind whistles between the crooked, pastille-coloured cottages on South Queensferry’s main street, there’s often more tourists than locals occupying its cobbled paths. The unassuming little town, just to the west of Edinburgh, sits under the shadow of the hulking Forth Road Bridge; keeping itself to itself.
It’s a quiet pocket of Scotland’s east coast, and it plays home to one of the country’s best, forgotten boxers. Over six years since his last professional contest – spending almost all of them removed from the sport’s relentless media – Paul Appleby, 19-6 (11), spoke candidly to Boxing News about civilian life, success and living without regrets.
But where had he been since suffering his final defeat to countryman, Scott Cardle? Had boxing swallowed him whole? Many suffer in retirement – but thankfully, and probably surprisingly to some, that wasn’t the case for Appleby.
“I’ve been doing scaffolding for over five years now,” explained the laid back, 32-year old former British champion. “Since I retired, I’ve been doing this for work. I got married. We bought our house in South Queensferry and I’ve just been spending time with my wife.
“I’m quiet, so I don’t like all of that social media stuff. I
