Twin aims of Welsh boxers Garan and Ioan Croft

"We've always wanted to do better than each other," says Welsh boxer Garan Croft as he turns to his training partner.

Garan is older than his training partner – one minute older in fact.

For his training partner is identical twin brother Ioan and the 24-year-olds are pushing each other to achieve success.

"Whether we're running, on one of the assault bikes or the vertical climb – we want to beat each other," Garan adds.

"We've got to be separated in sparring sometimes.

"We're twins, we've always been competitive, ask our parents."

"But that's a great asset to have in a training partner."

The two will never fight each other – Ioan is a middleweight and Garan a super-welterweight.

They were described as "two very talented young fighters" by Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn upon signing with the promoters in February this year.

They both won on their Matchroom debuts in April - Ioan defeated Serbia's Novak Radulovic before Garan saw off Marco Simmonds of England.

"It's great to have that backing from Matchroom," said Ioan.

"It's everything that we've ever worked towards really. It gives us that platform to show how good we are.

"Our debuts with Matchroom were brilliant here in Manchester and looking forward to our next one now.

"Before, when we didn't have the backing of Matchroom, we would get out of the ring and didn't know what was next.

"Now it's nice to have this path in front of us over the next few years and gives us that real incentive to work a little bit harder."

For Garan, too, signing up with Matchroom has given him and Ioan the prospect of fighting for titles in the near future.

"It's where any young boxer wants to be at the minute," Garan said of the long-term deal with Matchroom.

"The opportunities are massive – it's what people know and it's what people are watching these days.

"I believe with their backing we can bring big nights of boxing back to Wales.

"That would be amazing and a dream come true. That's the aim."

The twins' switch from amateurs to the professional ranks came in 2024 when they left the Great Britain squad five months before the Paris Olympics.

Having "lost trust" in GB Boxing the pair became professional and since then have been trained by former WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla at the Fox ABC gym in the Limeside area of Oldham.

"I really believe Ant's one of the best coaches in the country at the minute," Garan added.

"He's still proving himself as a fairly young trainer.

"For us, when we walk into the ring on fight night, it's that little bit of extra confidence having someone who's been there, done it himself, walking beside you.

"Whether that's on fight night or here in the gym, he's got a wealth of knowledge and something we can really learn from."

Ioan added: "It's a really good, positive environment to be in. It doesn't feel like work for us.

"This is what we love – we turn up to the gym and when I wake up on Monday morning I'm excited to get there.

"Don't get me wrong, it's hard when you are in camp and it gets tough but there's a good group of lads here – Anthony's brilliant."

The brothers' new life in Manchester is a far cry from their home village of Crymych in north Pembrokeshire.

"It's been great moving up here," Garan said.

"The training up here is exceptional and it's the next step we need and we're really pushing on here.

"It's all going well and looking forward to what's coming up next now."

He admits, however as "home boys" they miss their west Wales roots.

"We've had massive backing back home.

"It's evident now when we fight – there's two to three hundred coming up and supporting.

"It's a 10-hour round trip for them to get up here and they made noise all night.

"They had a great time and we are so grateful to have backing like that because not everyone has it."

Their path to the professional ranks included representing Wales at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Garan picked up a bronze in the light-middleweight section while Ioan won welterweight gold.

"In many ways it feels like yesterday, being with the boys in the training camp running up to it," said Ioan, who beat Stephen Zimba of Zambia to win gold.

"In other ways I've done so much since the Games.

"Whatever I go on and do in boxing, winning the Commonwealth Games will always be up there with one of my biggest achievements and one of my proudest moments.

"It will be good this time to watch and support the Welsh lads."

Garan describes Welsh boxing as being in a good place currently.

"Boxing in Wales at the minute is flying and I believe it's not just in south Wales - the north is realy strong at the minute," he said.

"There are some young lads in north Wales coming through who are really impressive and are really talented.

"Hopefully we can inspire the next generation of Welsh lads."

Both hope to be back in the ring at some point this summer with opponents set to be confirmed imminently.

Looking further ahead both have their sights set on winning British titles.

"In 12 months' time I want to be in a position to fight for a title of any sort really but ideally in a place for a British title shot by the end of next year," Garan said.

"That's really something we want to do and it's definitely within reach now.

"With the backing of Matchroom we've got that path and if you put that hard work in you can really achieve it."

Ioan is in agreement with his brother: "We've got a lot of hard work to put in to get there – it's not a given."

"But in 12 months' time we want to be knocking on the door – whether it's a British or another title – we want to be up there."