Daventry boxer fights next week in his pursuit to claim the Midlands title

The 32-year-old boxer is in town with five other boxers for BCB Promotions's second show there this year, a Midlands-based professional boxing promotion company.

Dempsey Madden has been training with Team ShoeBox, a Northampton-based boxing training base, for more than five years.

He said: “It is tough, but I wouldn't change it because it does fulfil me. It's my purpose to do this.

“I had my debut in Northampton and had a lot of support from the people from Daventry.”

The fighter started training when he was just 14 years old.

With his wife, Sian, a personal trainer who helps Dempsey with his daily diet, his daughter Emie, 13, who is a dancer, and his daughter Ayla, 9, who is a swimmer, Dempsey revealed that he has a very "active family."

“I wanted to do boxing for a long time when I was younger, but I never really dedicated myself to it.

“I had a couple of amateur fights when I was younger, but I just decided I wanted to just turn professional,” he said.

So far, Dempsey has won four fights and lost one. Talking about the fight he was defeated in, he said: “That hit me hard. I thought about giving up.

“It really hurt me. It took me some time to get over it.”

The first fight at next Saturday’s show starts at 7.30pm, with standard tickets priced at £40 and VIP ringside tickets priced at £80.

Other boxers in attendance include Nico Michael, who was born in Northampton, and Doina Costin, who was born in Romania and resides in Northampton.

Dempsey said: “I'm never scared. I'm nervous, very nervous.

“It's very nerve-racking, but then once the fight starts, it's like I let go. We're here, and it's fine. This is what we do. We're alright. Let's get through this now.”

Dempsey intends to pursue the Midlands boxing title following this fight. In the future, he hopes to host events to share his knowledge and passion with young people.

“I feel like we're losing so much talent,” said Dempsey.

Tickets are available now from the boxers directly, at [email protected], or by emailing [email protected].