Bareknuckle boxer Mickey Parker: ‘The fire is still there – I’ve gained more hunger’

The Leigh Park bare knuckle boxer has seen three scheduled fights with Dave Thomas for the British cruiserweight title cancelled because of the pandemic.

The fight, at the 02 Indigo, was initially called off in April and also in May and September.

For some fighters the slog of putting yourself through two training camps, only for the fight to be postponed, could be massively demotivating.

But the current circumstances, along with Parker's driving ambition to become a British champion, has only provided him with added hunger as he hopes to finally take on Thomas for the belt early next year.

'You’ve got to laugh about it, haven’t you?' said Parker.

‘It would be totally different if it was just me in the boat but it’s not, it’s everyone.

‘That’s made it easier to swallow to be honest.

‘There’s been a few times this year where we thought we were there and it was going to happen, we were over the moon and then it got dragged away.

‘There’s nothing we can do (this year).

‘I’ve tried every way we can. I’ve done two training camps this year, absolutely got to peak (fitness) for nothing.

‘Everyone is in the same boat so I can’t be bitter, it’s no-one’s fault, it’s life - we’ve never seen anything like this before.

‘I get up in the morning and I think about the fight, I go to sleep at night and I think about the fight.

‘No hunger whatsoever has been lost; if anything, I’ve gained more hunger - I want it more.'

Parker was offered the chance to be part of the upcoming BKB Lockdown show.

The behind-closed-doors pay-per-view event sees the return of the sport in this country on November 27 at the 02.

But the 37-year-old turned down the chance to appear for financial reasons.

Nonetheless, Parker has no doubt his British title battle with Thomas will go ahead in 2021 - with or without fans in attendance.

‘I’ve spoken to the promoter and he’s 100 per cent that those fights (on postponed shows) have still got to happen,' he added.

‘As soon as we’re ready to go we’ll go.

‘He did offer me a spot at the lockdown show.

‘I’m ready but it’s just financially with Christmas coming up around the corner I just could not do it.

'You have to have a week off work and the thing is with going into the quarantine you’ve also got to pay for your coaches to go in there as well.

‘I’m plenty fit enough but I just could not get my coaches to go.

‘Now I’ve seen there’s a light I just want to get out there.

‘No-one is getting no younger and I just want to fight.

‘It was meant to be the best year of my life - you know what, yeah it was - but I’m still smiling.

‘The fire is still there. A lot of people wouldn’t have done what I did, I had two fight camps for absolutely no reason in the end.'