“I would have been 22 and the culture then is to drink and party and it’s like you’re a product of your environment, and where I’m from, that’s what everyone does,” he explained. “It’s like a British culture thing and to not do it, you go so against the grain, you’re so out of place, you’re really putting yourself in an awkward situation if you try and socialise, or even if you’re trying to sell tickets and stuff and you’re not mingling with those sort of crowds. It’s difficult. I never drunk loads anyway. But what would normally happen is I’d have a fight, I’d go back to Cornwall and I’d make up for lost time with drinking. I’d go out with pals and drink, not train at all, not do anything productive, and then I went to a boxing show in Liverpool, a Wasserman show, June 17 [more than two years ago], and everyone drank apart from my gym mate and I was ill that week – because I was drinking – and he was back in the gym Monday. And I said to myself, ‘I can’t call myself a professional if I’m not really gonna live the life.’ I’d missed a week’s training because I was drinking, and I can’t afford to be doing that at this level. That was a little wake up call for me then. That was the last time I drank, and after that I was completely done and I knew I wouldn’t drink again. I’d never drink too much. I would never do it in camp, but if you’re being really honest with yourself and saying, ‘Am I doing everything I can to better my career?’ And drinking wasn’t. You can’t call yourself a professional athlete – and then go down the pub. I don’t think so. By coincidence, or whatever reason, since I stopped drinking, I had all my biggest successes of my career, my biggest belts. I’ve upped my following, I’ve done everything positive since I stopped drinking. “It’s got to coincide a little bit.”
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