FAIRY TALE CONTINUES
Sam Eggington on his incredible ascent up the boxing ladder
‘I’D TAKE THE REMATCH WITH SKEETE IN A HEARTBEAT’
WHEN Sam Eggington won both the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles, his story was a remarkable one. He first got into boxing to become a journeyman, but went on to win two coveted titles. Since then – despite a loss to Bradley Skeete - he has stopped Frankie Gavin and Paulie Malignaggi before becoming European champion. The feel-good story of the Brummie slugger is showing no signs of slowing and the 23-year-old is only looking up. Congratulations on winning the European title – how does it feel?
I was over the moon with it. I mentioned it a lot before, I didn’t really want to take the Paulie Malignaggi fight before because I was mandatory for the European title. I was um-ing and ah-ing about the Malignaggi fight because I wanted the European title so bad.
To finally get the fight in my hometown and pull out a big knockout for it, I was over the moon. It was unreal. The Birmingham shows, slowly but surely, the numbers have been going up and up. I know the fights are getting bigger and better – people picking up titles, Kal Yafai, I just won the European, Gamal [Yafai] as well – even still, the crowds are just picking up because there’s big time boxing back in Birmingham. I felt a difference in this fight, with the crowd. I was mad. I sold about 200 tickets more than I’ve ever sold before. To get the big win to top it off and Kal winning as well, it sets Birmingham up nicely. How important is it to you to see boxing in Birmingham doing so well?
It’s just nice to have the option, when you do have a big fight, to have it in your hometown. A few years ago, you’ve got a big fight, you weren’t getting it in Birmingham, not a chance. So it’s nice to have Birmingham as an option. It’s great for the lads in the gym as well, it’s good for the whole gym. In hindsight, how do you view the Malignaggi fight now?
Well I’m glad I took it because I won [laughs]. But these tricky fighters, I had Frankie Gavin just before, I was like ‘f**king hell I don’t need this man. Let’s just get the European and go from there.’ But my coaches were telling me that it’s a good fight and that I’d win comfortably and if I’m not going to listen to them, if I don’t trust them, it’s pointless me being at that gym so we took the fight on a big card, nice pay, and it all worked out for the best. You struck up a friendship with him as well. Yeah, I had dinner with him last week in Sheffield actually, I took the [European] belt up to him. It’s been well documented how, when you first started boxing, you just wanted to be a journeyman. There has to have been a point since where you’ve changed your goals, so what are they now?
Honestly, I can only say a world title now. What else can I win? I haven’t got a choice now I don’t think but to put it all in and try and win a world title. I’m going to train as hard as possible and try and get this world title. At the start if you’d have told me I’d win European, Commonwealth and British titles and looking at a world title shot I’d have laughed in your face. I always say, when people ask me about my aspirations, that I don’t have any. Everything’s a bonus, but with there only being one more step, there’s that one more aspiration left. I don’t want to be here for long, having to make weight, so the sooner I can win a world title and retire, the better! I’m just waiting for that shot, just a shot, and I’ll put it all in. You mentioned making the weight; is it difficult to physically and mentally get yourself to 147lbs?
Honesty it’s not that difficult for me. I know everyone says that but I’m on weight the day before the weigh-in, I don’t do anything on the morning of the weigh-in. I have three meals the day before the weigh-in. I’ll stay at the weight until I’m risking stuff. I drink six litres of water a day and have three good meals every day. When I have to drink less water and have less meals, I’ll move up. I won’t risk my health for it. I’ve got two kids and a missus who rely on what I do, I wouldn’t risk my health at all. Bradley Skeete fights this weekend, have you ever thought about a rematch with him?
Obviously I’d love to get my revenge but at the moment I don’t see the point. I beat Frankie Gavin, he beat Skeete, Skeete beat me so really we’re just the top three and people just guess who’s the best. That’s why I took the Gavin fight, to get back to where I was. Although, I’d love to have the British title outright. I’ve got all the belts and I’m proper OCD about everything, I have all my waters in the boot of my car and they’re all colour coordinated. So I’ve got all the belts but one and it’s killing me, I’d love to get that British outright. Maybe on the way down [laughs]. But if me and Skeete is maybe made an eliminator for something big, I’d take it in a heartbeat.