Jack Massey has been cast as British boxing’s Good Will Hunting, ordered off the construction site to make something of his talents and never to return.
The 31-year-old Cheshire cruiserweight has taken ten-hour shifts boxing brake pads with his dad while trying to break out of the rat race.
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And when the fights are over in 2022, he’s building scaffolding with his brother and considering hanging his gloves on a giant pole.
A courageous but unsuccessful defeat by former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker by 20–23 points revived his career.
And on Saturday he had success over 14st 4lbs Australian boogeyman and IBF king Jay Opetia.
This has the potential to be a script that Hollywood’s brightest minds would struggle to write, had Matt Damon and Ben Affleck not done such a good job with Robin Williams in 1997’s much-missed box office hit.
“My father has worked in the same brake pad factory for 40 years,” he told SunSport in an emotional conversation.
“He’d always say to me when I was there: ‘Do you want to be stuck here like me for the rest of your life – or do you want to make something of yourself in boxing?’
“When I used to work with my brother, he’d say ‘Do you really want to do this shit?’
“They both told me I could do something with my life through boxing and that stuck with me.
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Skye Nicholson vs Raven Chapman: UK start time, live stream, TV channel, full card of Saudi Super Show“It’s a bit like that Matt Damon movie where he’s really intelligent and his partner tells him that the best thing that could happen is he drives to the site to pick her up for another day And Damon is gone.
“He always told me that it would be disrespectful to him if he didn’t move on and create something himself. And that thing is stuck in my mind.
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“The people on the sites and in the factories are fans of boxing in our country – so it means a lot and it reminds me why I do this.”
There is a misconception that every boxer on TV – especially on the new wave of Saudi Arabia-sponsored shows – is an overnight millionaire.
The truth is that barely the top 1 percent even get the chance to fight and train full-time – let alone live a life of luxury.
And the free flight that Messi enjoyed from Joe Gallagher’s gym in Manchester is a reminder that it would be a long time ago if he doesn’t do himself justice.
He explained: “People who don’t really know boxing believe that our luck is all in the bank.
“Recently a few people have contacted me and asked me to sponsor things and I’m happy to help where I can – but I don’t get that much money.
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“I flew here in business class for the first time in my life – I didn’t pay for it!
“I’m 6 feet 4 inches, so I don’t usually like flying because I’m very nerdy, it was a cool experience.”
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