This week we caught up with UK boxer Robin Deakin who on his own Twitter bio, goes by the alias ‘Britain’s Worst Boxer’.
As our cross channel phone conversation started off, Robin informed me that he was renewing his boxing license with the British Boxing Board of Control.
Previously it had been declined the last time he attempted to do so due to his situation not changing in the boards’ eyes, which was that he had not recorded a win.
However the last time Deakin was in a professional boxing ring he did win, so now that hurdle is out of the way.
The nickname Britain’s Worst Boxer is one that comes from a string of defeats that Robin built up over the years, but what people don’t realise, is that many of those defeats saw him fight and take some very tough operators the distance.
Names on his record include former world champion Anthony Crolla and world title challenger Patrick Hyland for example.
He’s also referred to himself as a real life Rocky and his story has drummed up a lot of interest in recent years – with a documentary even set to be released later in 2017 he told me:
“The documentary comes out this year. Not too sure when. It was in the cinema just before Christmas (2016). I had a lot of celebrities there. I had Danniella Westbrook and Pete Bennett from Big Brother. I had a lot of support so it was good.”
Touching on a potential comeback Robin told me:
“Being out of boxing and have it taken away from you like I have – made me hungrier. It’s made me want it even more. It made me realize what you have – never take it for granted.”
He went on to say he wants one man in particular:
“Now you are going to see the best of Robin Deakin and I want to fight Conor Benn because I believe what he’s got and given to everyone that he’s boxed, is nothing that I have not taken. I believe he gets hit far too much and I believe when I hit him I’m going to hurt him, and I’m going to shock him. To be honest with you with the right training I’ll beat Conor Benn and that will be the rebuild of my career.”
On aspirations left in boxing, Robin concluded with a firm and clear response:
“Then I want to win an English title and after that if there’s nowhere else for me to go, I’d call it a day. But that’s my world title fight. My world title fight is Conor Benn. He called me out. He wanted to fight me. He said: ‘Robin Deakin be ready in 2017.’ So Conor Benn, Robin Deakin is here and he’s waiting for you.”
Robin also wanted to thank his sponsors who have helped him to this point in his career.
(Image source and credit: Conor Benn and Robin Deakin Twitter)
