FORMER boxer Matt Legg has opened up on his outstanding life within the sport.
From his boxing beginnings behind bars, to dealing with Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium, the 46-year-old skilled the highs and lows of the candy science.
The Northampton-born slugger survived an early brush with the legislation to come back out stronger - with the assistance of taking over boxing.
On his arrest as a teen, he instructed Dodge Woodall: "I did not do a very long time. However it's once I first began boxing. That was at 18 years outdated as effectively.
"I bought into some fights, one other three fights this was. One was a struggle with a doorman on a Friday night time, that threw... had been attempting to throw my mate down some stairs.
"So I've seen them attempting to throw him down the steps, so I've jumped in to assist them and I've had a struggle with the doormen.
"The police got here in and I've had a struggle with the police as effectively."
He then added: "I had a struggle with the doorman on that night time and the police, bought arrested, bought out the police station on the Saturday afternoon and it was alleged I bought attacked by a gang the next night time.
"And me and my mate, that is what it stated within the paperwork, as a result of I used to be by no means charged with it in the long run - it was alleged I used to be in a struggle with a gang.
"I believe it was about eight or 9 folks - and there have been damaged bones, and minimize heads and issues like that."
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On how he ended up going to jail for a couple of months in 1994, Legg went on to allege: "A few month after that I used to be strolling out of a nightclub and I noticed a pal of mine being arrested, I did not even know what it was for.
"And I believed the police had been being a bit tough with him, I had a factor in regards to the police once I was youthful.
"I had a foul relationship with the police as a result of they'd strangled me once I was about 15-16 on my bike.
"They knocked me off my little 50cc bike and strangled me with a torch and hit me - so I by no means bought on with them.
"So I noticed the police manhandling my mate, so I've stated 'relax, you ain't bought to chuck him round like that'.
"They've had a go at me and I've attacked them once more. In order that was three violent issues inside a couple of month so the police remanded me right away, as a result of you possibly can't have three violent ones."
After leaving jail Legg stored boxing, typically within the Watford newbie scene noticed by none apart from a younger Anthony Joshua himself.
Professional bouts would observe, primarily going down at venues like Watford City Corridor and York Corridor.
Legg did get to combine it with the very best, nevertheless, sparring Tyson Fury and even sharing the ring with AJ at Wembley.
Speaking about his expertise sparring the Gypsy King in 2010, Legg stated, with a smile: "I landed one punch.
"I noticed he'd placed on Fb, 'all you British heavyweights, you are all p***ies, none of you'll spar me not to mention struggle me'.
"So my mate rung me up and stated 'have you ever seen this?' So I went on the Fb and stated 'Tyson I will spar you, how a lot are you paying?'
"And he put 'ten grand for those who can knock me out' and I went 'alright, what if I do not knock you out, how a lot you paying?'
"It was good cash, I believe it was £350, £450 for 4 rounds, that was it.
"So I stated 'I will come tomorrow', I bought on the prepare by myself, the following day went to Manchester, Tyson picked me up together with his brother Shane from the prepare station, drove me to the caravan web site, Peter Fury had a caravan web site.
"Then me, Tyson and Shane bought warmed up, Shane did the primary spherical with Tyson. I did the second... we did it like that.
"And it was onerous! Even then."
Fearless Legg stored plugging away, registering professional wins over Radek Linka, James Toney and Deyan Mihailov - earlier than a fairytale alternative arose.
Requested the place he was when he bought the decision to struggle AJ, Legg stated: "I used to be on a constructing web site in Milton Keynes. It was Milton Keynes Dons' stadium.
"I used to be lifting plasterboard upstairs, which I actually liked. Two blokes had been doing it earlier than after which I began and I used to be doing it on my own, 44 kilo boards, and I used to be doing 100 a day."
I'd have executed it totally free
James Legg
He then added: "My supervisor referred to as up and stated 'Anthony Joshua's group have supplied the AJ struggle, at Wembley Stadium on the Carl Froch-George Groves rematch. I went '100 per cent I will take it.'
"I'd have executed it totally free. In the event that they'd have stated 'the factor is you have to do it for nothing', I would have went 'alright'.
"As a result of it was a chance to struggle on a large present. On the time it was the most important present in Britain, so I stated 'yeah I will do it'.
"I believe I had about six or seven weeks to coach for it."
Requested how a lot he was paid for the struggle, he replied: "Eight grand, however the bloke earlier than me bought 4. Eight grand however I bought some sponsorship cash so altogether about 11."
On his expectations going into his dream bout, Legg stated with a wry smile: "Earlier than the struggle I used to be assured I may catch him, I had that perception in myself, which is loopy actually!"
The Brit was knocked out in spherical one by Joshua, in what would change into his last professional bout.
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