60 second interview: Oly Marple

Oly Marple

When and why you started boxing:

I was 17 when I started. I’d played football and rugby to a decent standard, but I wanted to do something on my own where I didn’t rely on other people, so I gave boxing a go. 

Favourite all-time fighter:

Thomas Hearns because of his style and especially his lairy streak.

Best fight you’ve seen:

The first Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo fight in May 2005.

Personal career highlight:

Fighting at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium in September last year.

Toughest opponent:

My opponent at the King Power, Raimonds Sniedze [w pts 4]. He took my best shots and just kept coming at me.

Best and worst attributes as a boxer:

My best is my fitness and my worst is my lack of experience.

Training tip:

Keep your hands up.

Favourite meal/restaurant:

I like going for a steak at Miller & Carter Steakhouse.

Best friends in boxing:

My manager and trainer, Carl Greaves, plus all of my gym-mates at Carl Greaves Boxing Academy in Newark.

Other sportsman you would like to be:

Usain Bolt. To be the fastest man on the planet would be really cool.

Last film/TV show you saw:

The Karl Pilkington TV show, An Idiot Abroad. I fell asleep watching it.

Who would play you in a film of your life:

Snoop Dogg because he’s a bit of a joker but serious at the same time.

Have you ever been starstruck:

I don’t think I have.

Last time you cried:

After my first loss as an amateur. It was about four years ago against Ezra Taylor. I was gutted as I’d always thought I was going to beat everybody.

Best advice received:

Believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, you can push yourself on further than if you don’t believe in yourself.

Worst rumour about yourself:

I’ve not heard anything.

Something not many people know about you:

When I was about 10 or 11, I got to the Flintshire County Championship finals in chess. Flintshire was where I grew up. I don’t know how I did so well as I’m not even that good at chess!

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