The brutal new life of Dorian Darch, the Strongbow Dark Fruit-swilling brawler who once took on Anthony Joshua
| Published date | 22 January 2022 |
| Publication title | WalesOnline (Wales) |
He clearly wasn't all that impressed by the glitz and glamour which came with AJ, and Eddie Hearn's rather lavish roadshow.
Then again, maybe a small part of him was wondering if, in an alternate reality, it could have been him stepping into that ring.
Just three years earlier, in the very same city, he was stepping into the ring to take on AJ himself in what was only his fourth professional bout.
The setting for this interview is a touch more modest than the home of Welsh rugby. Indeed, many would feel the Rocks Bar in Newbridge does little to dispel the preconceptions which follow Dorian's new career move.
After a nine-year stint as a professional boxer, the gloves are now off -literally.
Dorian has made the move into the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing, becoming the latest Welsh fighter to try his luck at what is arguably the most brutal sport on the planet.
His debut fight against Mason Shaw last year saw him emerge victorious following a second-round knockout, and he's now got his eye on becoming one of the stars of the scene.
We first meet for a chat in the bar's car park. There is a skip filled with indeterminable rubble in the corner, a few old tyres and a hollowed-out punch bag near the entrance to the back room, which doubles up as the Pantside Boxing Club.
Once a pub, much of the old bar is still here, creating the sort of setting you'd expect to see in a Guy Ritchie film.
Apart from Dorian's enormous size, his inability to sit still is quickly noticeable. He gives off the sort of energy you'd expect to see from a kid on Christmas morning.
In all fairness, there is plenty for him to look forward to. Indeed, this weekend could be one of his finest hours yet in the ring.
Dorian is set to fight at BKB 24 at London's O2, bidding to become the first Welshman to win a world heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing title for more than a century although the records are, as you would imagine, a little sketchy.
Read more: Bareknuckle boxer at centre of street incident fought back from suicide attempt
It is a chance to make a bit of history, and Dorian is focused on the task at hand.
So much so, the 37-year-old has bid farewell to his beloved Strongbow Dark Fruit -for the time being, anyway.
"Preparations are going good," he says. "I think...
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