POWER OF FILM
Cinema-mad Eggington is up for second Euro belt
SAM EGGINGTON has had some Rocky-style career moments – but it’s watching movies at the cinema he enjoys the most.
The Birmingham boxer is bidding to become a two-weight European champion when he faces Abass Baraou on Friday in Telford.
Eggington, 30, has had a career of serious highs and some crushing lows fit for a Hollywood script, but he’s still thriving now he’s becoming a big attraction on Channel 5.
And he insists outside of the ring life is a little more mundane, with a trip to the flicks as wild as it gets.
“Honestly, if you ask anyone about me, I’m the most reclusive, boring human being you’ll meet,” said Eggington, who has eight defeats in 42 fights. “If I’m not at the gym, I’m at home. I don’t party. If I’m out of the house, I’m at the cinema.
“I like the cinema more than the movies. I go watch anything. I’ll go with the kids to watch kids’ films, I’ll watch normal films, horror films, it’s a chill out.
“Because it is the polar opposite of my job. I love being able to sit and chill with a little hot dog and some popcorn.
“That’s me. I can just chill, even if I fall asleep I don’t mind. I haven’t been lately because I don’t like going when I’m in camp because it’s hard to go and not eat half of the cinema.
“I’ll catch up after.” Eggington is hoping to win the EBU belt at light-middleweight having previously reigned as champion at welter.
It felt like defeats against Dennis Hogan and Ted Cheeseman (inset) could have brought the curtain down on his career, which has had more fights than most boxers his age.
There have been shock stoppages, expected losses and defeats in Prizefighter – the tournament format of three-round bouts – but Eggington has never given up.
He’s enjoyed highlight knockout wins himself and won titles like the British, Commonwealth and European that many thought he’d never be good enough to claim.
“That’s what pushes me,” he said. “I know what people think of my career and where I am in my career. “People think I’m just trying to stick about but I’m not. I’m here to win.
“I’m here to do what people say I can’t do and I will prove that again next Friday.”
Now he’s got more eyeballs on his fights than ever thanks to terrestrial TV, he’s even hoping he makes the big screen one day. “Hopefully I’ll get someone to give me a shout about putting my story together,” he said with a smile.