Agyei-Dua's journey - football, prison, building site...Prizefighter!

Prizefighter Kris Agyei-Dua (3-0) is 31 years old and only turned pro this year, so he is very much a late entrant to boxing.

However, as what is so often the case in boxing, there is an interesting trajectory on how this pugilist entered prizefighting.

Agyei-Dua was playing football for Brentwood Town when he got involved in an incident on the football pitch that ultimately led to a stint behind bars.

“I was working on a building site at the time. I had a bit of bad luck in football. I was quite a budding footballer. I had a bit of trouble on the pitch one day, got a load of racial abuse. I lost my temper and got put inside for it. I got banged up for the fight on the pitch. I come out. And fell out of love with football.

“When I came out I started playing football again, there was almost another incident, a bit more racial abuse, but I held my temper the second time. I just had enough of it after that. So I just promised myself that I wouldn’t ever react again and I wouldn’t ever get into anymore trouble”.

Agyei-Dua decided to quit playing football but found a pathway into boxing: “I have always loved my sport and after that I decided to do something.

“The guy I worked on a building site with was a professional fighter, Gareth Lawrence, he took me down to the Peacock gym in Canning Town and I just fell in love with it the moment I tried it.

“I had a couple of white collar fights, then ten amateur fights (for Brentwood Youth) and a couple of unlicenced fights. I found them quite easy (unlicenced fights) and then someone said he me ‘you could have a good crack at going pro if you knuckle down. Then I turned pro at the beginning of the year, I have had three fights and three wins and have a big opportunity in Prizefighter.

“I was always a boxing fan, especially in the days of Eubank-Benn fights and all that. My dad used to be a huge Muhammad Ali fan. I always watched boxing. And now that I am doing boxing myself, I am a boxing nut now – I don’t watch anything but boxing. I am always on youtube watching all of the old fights Aaron Pryor, Arguello and all of those old classic fights.”

Tonight’s Prizefighter is the first time that the draw will be done on the night, so fighters will not have time to prepare for their first opponent because they will not know in advance who they will face: “I don’t have a plan to because you don’t know who you will be fighting. So it will just be a case of getting in there. I have to worry about myself, just box to the best of my ability and I think anyone there is for the taking and is beatable. By nature I am a bit more of a counter puncher, I am not the most aggressive, come-forward fighter so I am aware that in this format I will have to be a bit more so.

“When I box at middleweight you find I am quite small for a middleweight, but compared to someone who is light middleweight, I am quite big. So, I am looking forward to staying in the pocket a little more and have a bit more of a trade off. I am looking forward to that – being the bigger man for a change.”

Agyei-Dua is revelling in the Prizefighter experience: “It is overwhelming. Like the weigh in, you turn up and get on the scales and have Sky and all the cameras there and pose – do the muscle pose and being on Sky Sports, it is just a bit over whelming. But, you just want to enjoy every minute, because these things don’t happen everyday.

"I am absolutely loving it and I am very grateful to Eddie and Barry Hearn for giving me this opportunity and I fully intend to do my best.”

It is an opportunity that Agyei-Dua will grasp with both hands: “When I first turned pro they said to me when I went to the Board for the interview, they said to me ‘what are you trying to do’? And I said, the Southern Area Title is the minimum I want to box for. It would be great.

“But, on the back of this (Prizefighter) you never know. To box for a British title would be just a dream come true, that would be unbelievable. I don’t have much time in the game, at 31, so any opportunity I get I will jump at it.

“Outside of Takaloo, everyone is at the same kind of level. On my night I can beat any one in front of me, including Takaloo.”

Agyei-Dua has sold over 150 tickets for tonight’s Prizefighter, so the Brentwood man’s set of fans will add to what normally is a great atmosphere, particularly back in the natural home of Prizefighter – the iconic York Hall.