Mark Handley is wired up for Deakin fight
Shrewsbury electrician Mark Handley says he would jump at the chance to send ‘Britain’s worst boxer’ into retirement with a loss, writes Matthew Bozeat.
Robin Deakin says he’s quitting fighting after his next bareknuckle scrap – and it could be against Handley.
Deakin has posted on social media that he’s training for a third fight with the 40-year-old.
Handley says the fight hasn’t been confirmed yet by promoters BKB – but admits he would like the chance to end their rivalry with a knockout.
Handley and Deakin have fought twice before. The first fight was a draw, before Handley won the rematch convincingly on points.
The rematch has had more than two million views on the internet and Handley said: “People like watching me beat him up!
“I will gladly give the public what they want again.
“It’s up to the promoters to make the fight.
“He’s put it all over social media that he’s fighting me next, but nobody has rang me with an offer.”
Handley himself is nearing the end of his fighting career.
He has just signed a three-fight deal with promoters BKB and says that when that has run out, he will quit fighting.
Handley said: “The fight I want is with Johnny Lawson (who beat Deakin in his last fight).
“He hasn’t had many wins, but every fight has been close and I think it would be a good fight.
“I can maybe use the Deakin fight as a warm up for that?
“I didn’t start fighting until late in life, so it’s not as if I’ve taken lots of punishment. Fighting keeps me on the right path, but I know I can’t go on forever.”
Handley has been out of action since last March when MMA legend Brad Pickett stopped him inside a round – and he’s been through a lot since.
“The doctors thought I had cancer at Christmas,” he revealed. “I was tested and it turned out I had too much iron in my diet which caused an infection.
“I’m so glad to be out running again and have fights to focus on.”
