Alan set to go pro
Lumberjack brings down the opposition
A cage fighter dubbed “The Lumberjack” intends to fell as many opponents as possible in a bid to one day turn professional.
Alan Mctaggart (32) from Hamilton beat Manchester’s Matty Mccall to the Machine MMA light-heavyweight (93kg) Championship belt at Stanley Civic Centre in Durham, England, in a gruelling fight that went the distance, with Alan winning by unanimous decision.
That win qualifies Alan for a tilt at the British title in December, back in Durham and, if successful, he will contest at least one more belt at amateur level before deciding whether or not to make the leap into the professional game.
Alan, who works as a tree surgeon – hence the nickname – said: “I want to go as far as I can. I’m just amateur but I’ve had some offers already. I’ve been asked to take on a couple of professional fights but I wanted to focus this year more on this belt, then the next belt, and I’ll see what happens from there.
“There are different organisations that offer different belts, so I could go to another organisation and fight for them, or I could turn professional and start from the bottom again.
“I’d be interested in that. It’s a challenge and you want to see your end-game, put your training in and test yourself. Every time you go in there it’s a test.”
Alan, who trains with Sparta Vale Tudo in Ashgill, also hopes to dispel the notion that cage fighting is just a brawl, and says it involves a lot of strategy and thinking.
He added: “If anybody is thinking about taking up cage fighting I would tell them to get in about it. It’s good for your discipline and things like that, especially if you’re a kid.
“There are misconceptions, people think we’re all thugs, but it’s a scientific sport, you’re not just a brawler – you have everything to learn and there are different aspects of the sport. You have to research your opponent. Because it’s mixed martial arts, guys come in from different backgrounds. Matty Mccall was a kickboxer – I knew he was going to want to stand and strike, so I knew I had to take him to the ground and work him down there.
“I’ve been training for six years and I’ve had three fights. That was my hardest fight, Matty was a strong fighter. He was more of a stand-up fighter, so I knew I had to keep it on the ground.”
Working as a tree surgeon helps Alan with his training, but also means he has to work hard to prepare for a fight.
He said: “It’s quite demanding, because I’m climbing trees all day and training at night – sometimes twice a day. It certainly helps to keep fit and keep the weight down.”
He went on: “I’m delighted to be fighting for a British title next. Each time you move up a bit you get a harder opponent. It involves a lot of preparation, a lot of dieting, exercise and hard work.”