A big night for Stroud's Leigh Alliss
Stroud's Leigh Alliss goes into tonight's live Nuts TV Fighting Hurts final as the underdog, but that tag is only serving to spur him on.
Alliss has seen off all challengers thus far, but has a tough task ahead of him when he takes on Dyson Roberts from Leeds for the prize of a year's professional contract as a cage fighter.
Roberts saw off huge favourite JD Hylton to reach the final, and he is also trained by one of the judges on the show, Dave O'Donnell, who is the founder of Cage Rage.
But Alliss is quietly confident of causing an upset in front of over 2,500 fans at The Troxy Theatre in London. He said: "It definitely helps having 16 professional boxing bouts behind you, but once I get there and see the lights and the cameras, I'm sure the nerves will kick in."
Alliss expects Roberts to be a tough opponent. The Stroud gardener and part time television extra is up against a different prospect in Dyson Roberts than he has faced in the previous rounds. "Dyson's a bag of tricks. He's giving away a bit of weight to me but it should be interesting," said Alliss.
Leigh, 32, beat Marvin Eghan in the quarter-finals, and Ben Cragg in the semi-finals to progress to the live finals, and should he return to the West Country victorious, Alliss will relinquish control of his gardening business to live the dream and become a professional cage fighter with a 12-month contract.
And Alliss is confident he will enjoy great support for the final, despite it being in Roberts' back yard in the capital. He added: "I've had so much support throughout the series. It's been fantastic. And although he has a head start of sorts with it being in London, and with him being trained by one of the judges, I'm going to go there and try my best to bring the title back to the South-West."
The final is live on Nuts TV at 10pm on Saturday.
2 Comments
by jason powell, stroud
Sunday, November 02 2008, 9:13PM
“Last night i was lucky enough to witness one of the most caring human beings to enter my life realise his dream of being a champion , leigh alliss is the man amongst men anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him will tell you this,if i could have my time again leigh alliss is who i would want to be a caring, thoughtful,genuine person. leigh deserves every moment of this glory because he has put the time and effort into becoming a champion as in leighs own words train hard fight easy . congratulations leigh fighting hurts 2008 champion”
by alex harvey, eastington
Sunday, November 02 2008, 3:42PM
“Leigh Alliss is a true champion!
I watched him realise his dream on television last night and I am one of many that live in this area of Gloucestershire that are proud to say they know him!
His life has been one of many battles,most of them he has had control of and dealt with them in the leigh alliss way,which is head on ,take no prisoners!
When boxing, Leigh was always going forward never backing away from any challenge.He has proved once again in the cage fighting that what he lacks in experience he more than makes up with his heart and the Alliss family tradition of never giving up,even when it seems all is lost !
Leigh lost his father cruelly when he was shot dead after a row with his neighbour,and to add insult to injury he saw nobody punished for taking away, not only his Dad, but a person who was loved and respected by many.
Leigh`s fight last night was not just against his opponent it was against all that is unjust and unfair!
His win was for his father,his family his friends,for Stroud,for Gloucestershire and no doubt for many other people that Leigh would put before himself.Anyone that has had the pleasure of meeting him,(not in the ring or cage) I hastily add,will find a humble ,considerate, caring person that has always got time to speak, no matter if you are old or young!
Join me all in congratulating Leigh Alliss not just for his cage fight win, but for being a true gentleman who with his family have had a lifetime battle against all that is unjust and unfair but have never thrown in the towel!
Well done Leigh you have done us all proud !!!”