Former West Ham player James Collins shares why he’s taking on the ‘UK’s toughest guy’ in his first boxing match.
South Wales is known for boxing greats like Joe Calzaghe, Jimmy Wilde, and Howard Winstone. This Saturday (October 10), another Welsh sports star steps into the ring—former West Ham United defender James Collins will fight the self-proclaimed ‘UK’s hardest man,’ Big Stacks, at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford.
James Collins, 43, from Newport, had a long football career playing for Cardiff City, West Ham, Aston Villa, and Ipswich Town. He also played 51 times for Wales and was part of the team that reached the 2016 European Championship semi-finals. Collins retired in 2019, and now, seven years later, he’s ready for his first boxing match with the Misfits.
Collins is a late replacement for Tom Skinner, a businessman and social media personality who was supposed to fight Big Stacks, whose real name is reportedly Charlie Robert. Big Stacks, 33, won his last fight by second-round TKO against Jordan McCann in Newcastle.
Big Stacks is confident about his chances, but Collins is excited too, having faced some tough football strikers. Speaking to SPORTbible, Collins joked that he wouldn’t want to box former players like Kevin Davies or Duncan Ferguson, known for being tough on the pitch. He kept things friendly and didn’t challenge any footballers to a fight.
When asked why he’s stepping into the boxing ring now, Collins said he’s been a big fan of boxing all his life, especially loving Calzaghe. He got a call asking if he wanted to fight on short notice and said yes. He didn’t want to miss out or regret the chance. No matter the outcome, he’s enjoyed the training.
Since starting training in September, Collins says he feels fitter and healthier and has loved meeting new people along the way. Even though he’s new to boxing, growing up in tough Newport and a scrappy moment with former teammate Andy Carroll have helped him prepare. He shared a funny story about a light-hearted fight with Carroll during a pre-season tour, which ended with them shaking hands and having a pint together.
Collins encourages other former footballers to get back into shape and try boxing, mentioning Wayne Rooney and Phil Bardsley as fans of the sport. He believes anyone can benefit from training in a boxing gym and hopes his effort inspires others to give it a go.
The event’s main fight features reality star Joey Essex against comedian Dapper Laughs. Other matches include Plinio Cruz vs. Gary Olive, Swarmz vs. Ambush Buzzworl, Jordan McCann vs. Mo Deen, and Carla Jade vs. Erika Knights for the Misfits women’s lightweight title. There’s also a tag-team bout with Nitboy and Kane West versus Cracky Tokky and Little T. It’s set to be a night full of exciting fights!