IamA underground British bare-knuckle champion. AMA!

How many fights have ended with a handshake?

Every single one.

Wow, I just watched and really enjoyed the Vice documentary featuring you! My question is, why did you show up to the championship fight so late? Was it planned to make a big entrance and keep the opponent waiting? Or, were you considering not showing up?

Thanks for the AMA and great fight!

The people who were supposed to be picking me up and taking me to the fight were late, and that's what happened. It wasn't about creating suspense - good if it did that anyways!

What's the worst injury you have received from a fight?

Broken eye-socket from being punched in the face by Dave Radford.

Although, I tend to have really bad memory from punches to the face.

Have you ever felt genuinely angry and that you really wanted to hurt someone when going into a fight, if so, how did they wind you up in the first place, and if you won, did you feel any remorse after you had knocked the shit out of them?

No, absolutely not. It could be me knocking them out if I don't knock them out. If you hit someone by accident you feel guilty, but boxings my job.

Also, if you lose your temper then your whole strategy and game plan goes out the window. You can't get too angry in a fight, you need to keep your cool and focus on your fighting strategy.

Have you ever considered transitioning into a more regulated sport like MMA?

Also do you ever worry about the possibilities of long lasting damage to you body/brain?

No, I think i'm too old for that. If there money was there I would do it.

How much longer do you think you'll keep fighting for?

Not long, my family absolutely hate it so I won't be doing it for too much longer.

I've been fighting since I was 10 years, so that's 21 years of bare knuckle boxing.

Aren't you worried about brain injury, concussions?

I've got really bad memory from getting punches to the head. And yes, I do worry, i've been fighting for 21 years now.

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I'd start going to a boxing gym, it's exactly the same rules but without the gloves.

What's the longest fight you have ever been in?

From the documentary it looks like fights can go awhile.

19 minutes with Dave Bradford has probably been the longest fight that i've been in.

James, do you reckon you could take any of the Irish kings of travellers such as Big joe? Factoring in that joe is ould now but back in his day

At the end of the day, the best man on the day wins in the fight.

If you headkick someone, is that frowned upon?

I would never do that, of course - it's frowned upon.

How many fighters are Irish travellers?

That's quite hard to count...

What's your worst experience as a bare-knuckle boxer ? :D

I haven't really had any bad experiences.

I've obviously had broken bones, eye sockets, hands, wrists, nose (11 times).

Getting beaten is just a learning curve - I haven't had bad experiences from losing. I love it.

Do you think the English gangster movies are accurate portrayals?

Haha. No, absolutely not.

You like dags? My serious question: what is the path that brought you to bare knuckle?

I started settling scores, then word started travelling that I was a good fighter and it all started from there really.

Personal scores or were you hired muscle?

Personal scores, in fields, car parks, in pubs, barnyards – a bare-knuckle boxing match can take place anywhere.

No, I wasn't hired muscle.

That's very interesting. Glad you're making money doing it. It has to be thrilling. Good luck in all your future fights.

Thank you very much! Appreciate it.