Heavyweight Matt Legg makes ring return Sunday

The six fight card is being staged at the WonderWorld nightclub in central Milton Keynes by Shamrock Promotions, fronted by Mervyn Turner.  Legg will be able to fight on home turf for the first time.

Matt originally transitioned into the pro sport in 2001, and notched up three quick wins. Then he suffered defeat to Alvin Miller which ultimately stalled his career. Matt came back strong in 2008 scoring a KO win over Preston’s Howard Daley. He won his next fight, then disaster struck in preparation for his next contest.

“I suffered a bad knee injury sparring with Matt Skelton, I threw a punch and my knee just went. It was both ligament and cartilage damage and that put me out of action in early 2009. After a year or two I got so far out of the game I just never got back into boxing. I had started acting and was having acting lessons for when I made my film (New City Fighter) then after three terms of acting I had forgotten about fighting.”

During his time away from the sport Matt always kept one eye on the domestic heavyweight contenders to see who was making strides towards the top.

“I always followed the heavyweight scene when I was away from the sport. A lot of the lads that were contesting heavyweight titles when I wasn’t active I had been sparring with a year or two ago. In most spars I had been doing well or even getting the better of them.

“The are some real good boxers at the top of the UK heavyweight scene right now. I think David Haye is above everyone else at the moment. Outside of the top 10 I don’t think there is much about, so I would like to push myself up as far towards the top 10 as I can.”

After almost five years away from boxing it dawned on Matt that he had lost the physical attributes he once held and he decided he wanted them back! He started out training just for fitness but things escalated faster than expected and Matt hooked up with Luton based Trainer/Promoter Mervyn Turner. Now his ring return is imminent. 

“I came to realise that I had lost my physical strength and fitness over the years and I was determined to get it back, so I started the boxing training again mainly for that reason. Then one thing led to another and people noticed me putting my training video’s on Facebook. I had a three promoters in contact with me trying to get me out on the pro circuit again.

“During this camp I have been getting advice from Matt Skelton and Sam Sexton about road work. I used to do about three mile runs but they said that’s not enough so I  have stepped up the running and the benefits can be seen as I have never been fitter than I am now. I have been getting some good sparring with Sam Sexton in the build up to this fight.”

So at 37 what can Matt realistically expect to achieve this time round? A few good wins could turn him into a fringe contender and line him up for his biggest contest to date. Matt  wants to keep active and see how he progresses.

“I just want to get a couple of wins then maybe look at a Southern Area title or something like that. I have been in the ring with a lot of top 10 heavyweights in the UK and none of them have been able to hurt me so that gives me confidence going into this.

“Maybe in a year or two I would like to be up at British title level. What I really want to do, is to be able to look back on my career and have no regrets. I want to be able to know that I have given it my all. I’m 37 now so I can put a three year window on this comeback, I have never really had a full run of regular fights and that’s what I need to do now.”  

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