BOXING LOVES
BRITAIN’S worst w boxer ‘Rocking’ Robin Deakin has h hung up his gloves – for love. And falling fo for social worker Sinead O’Donoghue, 24, could well have saved his life after the sport’s bosses once banned ban him for his own safety. Robin, 31, no now plans to settle down after losing 53 of his 55 pro fights fig but winning an army of celeb fans along the way, in including EastEnders star Danny Dyer and the cast of TOWIE. He said: “I a always said I’d never live until I’m old, but now I’ve met m Sinead. I’m not going to die or turn into a cabbage. cabbage I want to have a family.” Born with twot club feet, Robin started boxing at six to strengt strengthen his legs. He went through countless childhoo childhood ops before he could walk unaided. After taking takin up a trade as a butcher at 14, he had a successful a amateur career, winning 40 of 75 bouts – but it all wen went wrong when he turned pro in 2006.
Broke
The lightweight lightweig won his debut fight, but lost the next 50. The Bri British Board of Boxing Control banned him in 2012 – telling te him he was a “journeyman” who risked serious injury. “I told them ‘ I’m the only journeyman wh who spends £2,000 a year to look good’,” said Robin. “I get g a new fake tan every time I fight.” From Tilbury, Tilb he became popular with Essex reality celebs cele – and even dated ex-Big Brother star Lisa Appleton. A But he was always next to broke. He said: “I spent it as soon as I got it. I’d fight on Friday, Fri earn two or three grand, then go out all weekend weeke and be Billy big b***s at the clubs.” After his ban, he used an overseas licence to box on wh while doing 15-hour night shifts as a butcher in South London. His second win came in 2015, but his last fight in Spain in 2017 left him with 600 euros, a bust rib and homeless. He sa said: “I was staying on friends’ sofas, then I met m Sinead in Luton on a training camp. I told he her my situation, and she asked me to move in with her. She looks after me.” Regrets Regret over his career? “I’ve done things my way,” h he said. “I went in, got the s*** beaten out of me and got paid. If I’d trained I’d have been British Briti champion at least.”