10th October 2012
Ellesmere Port’s Matty Fagan makes his glittering professional debut on Friday 9th November at the Liverpool Olympia on the Queensberry Promotions show promoted in association with Stephen Vaughan.
Weight: Lightweight
Born: Chester
Age: 24
Family background: I’ve got two younger sisters. Today, I live in Ellesmere Port with my girlfriend.
Trade: I used to work on the assembly line at Vauxhall Motors but now I’m a full-time boxer.
Nickname: I’ve not really got one yet. Because I’m quite elusive, some call me ‘The Artful Dodger’ so I might go with that.
Peter Phelan coached me all the way through and was like a stepdad to all us kids who were at the gym four, five nights a week. Paul Butler (soon to challenge for the British super-flyweight title) was also at the club and we’ve become very good friends.
I had 85 amateur bouts and won 74 or 75. I won the Junior ABAs and did the NABC hat-trick, classes A, B and C. I also got beaten in the finals of the national schools, junior ABAs and NABCs. The highlight was definitely the third NABC win. After winning classes A and B, I got beat by a point against West Ham’s Luke Turner but then found out I was eligible to try again and, the following year, I got my third title, beating Junior Saeed, who had a big mouth!
As a senior I was blighted by hand injuries and, at one stage, I only had four bouts in three seasons. Stupidly, I refused to rest and get it fixed properly. Also, because of my job, I was struggling to get to the gym.
I went in the senior ABAs just once, last year, but after winning my first bout, and looking impressive doing it, I had to withdraw when the hand injury re-surfaced.
I won two junior Four Nations golds and one Four Nations silver but, despite either winning or getting to the final in nearly every national junior tournament every year, I didn’t get many chances to box for England. That’s a bit of a regret. I was once picked for a six nation meet in Sardinia but my passport never came through in time!
How do you relax? On Wednesday and Thursday evenings I play midfield for teams in the 6 -a –side (football) leagues. I’ve also got a new racing bike and like to go out on that.
Football team: Man United. I buy me mate’s season ticket off him when he’s not using it and I went about eight times last season.
Read: I get me Boxing News every week and I’ve just started ‘Mi Vida Loco’ Johnny Tapia’s autobiography.
Music: Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. Old school!
Films/TV: I love me films. Stuff like Men of Honor, Saving Private Ryan. I like anything with Denzil Washington in. Top actor.
Aspiration in life: To make the absolute most of my career. To own my own house and get my mum out of her council house.
Motto: Train hard, fight easy!
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