I was ill, really bad. I’ve never smoked in my life. I’ve trained every day and when I first came down I was bed bound for seven days. I was coughing up blood, my chest was tight, I was coming up hot and cold. I couldn’t taste nothing. My sense of smell went. Listerine, the mouthwash, I was using that and it tasted like water. I couldn’t taste nothing, it was horrible.
I didn’t want to go to the hospital. I’m a fit lad, I’d rather have them beds open for someone who’s 65 or 75, someone who has asthma or some kid. Whereas me, I’d go there, I’d waste a bed and then go home in a few days’ time. Whereas I could just self-isolate myself and that’s what I did.
I didn’t go to the hospital but I rang 111 and they said go to the hospital but not for me. I never get bad, normally. I’m one of them, never get flus, never get colds and I was absolutely ill.
I’d say stay indoors, self-isolate. Hopefully more people catch on and the faster people do self-isolate and catch on, the faster things can get back to normal.
My attribute, what sets me apart from the rest, is ticket sales.
My ticket sales have been a bit slow in the last few weeks! It has had a massive impact on me. I was about two weeks away from getting paid, my ticket sales, more publicity, all this. Next thing you know, I’m not getting paid a penny. Some of my sponsors have had to drop out.
I can see why this would be detrimental to boxers who haven’t got sponsors. Because when this dies down, and they try and get back to boxing, they’ve got no money. Boxing’s hard enough without having to work full time.
It’s very, very hard. This is the hardest game boxing. You’ve got to stay as positive as possible and try and move forward.
When the coronavirus does die off and I do go back into boxing, if it wasn’t for my sponsors there’d be no way I could dedicate my life to boxing. I’d have to go out and get a job. I’d say thank you to my sponsors but my life in general hasn’t changed. I’m not sitting in my house ordering takeaways. I’m trying to improve my game, different aspects of my game. I’ve started doing yoga. I’m just trying to improve my game little by little. I have got faith that this will die down.
I’ve just been getting up, after a nice lie-in in bed, doing a bit of training, doing a bit of reading, doing a bit of research and all that. I’ve made a Youtube channel. I’ve got time on my hands now. I’ve got all my fans, everyone who’s buying tickets and all that. With a Youtube channel I can still speak to my fans, doing training videos, nutrition videos, where I’m still interacting with them, even though we’re in isolation.
I’ve got a gym in my back garden. I’m sorted. When I started my comeback in boxing six years ago all I did was get up, train in my back garden, go back in the house, train in the back garden, go back in the house, cook my food. So nothing’s really changed for me! Nowt else to do but train.
I’m just trying to stay dedicated. I want to stay fit so when this is over and Eddie Hearn gives us another date, I can bounce straight back.
I’ve got to stay positive so when my chance comes I can take it with both hands.
It is what it is. We’re all in the same boat. We’ve just got to try to stay positive and get through it.
