Other / Ralph Ellis / 24 February 2010 /

Before the last Prizefighter we talked to Gavin Rees who turned out to be the winner - so it made sense to pay our toll money on the Severn Bridge again and go to meet his big mate Bradley Pryce before Friday night's light middleweight version. . .

Hi Bradley, so was Gavin the inspiration for entering this?

I'd say so. I saw what it did for his career, he's getting talked about again. I wasn't sure because I don't know if it suits my style. It was perfect for him because he goes flat out and throws short punches. I've just got to have his same mental attitude, get in there and hurt them.

Have you talked to him about it?

I've not needed to, to be honest, because I was there with him all the way through, in the changing rooms, I saw it all. I think that will help me because after every fight I went back to the room with him, and he just chilled out really, and then got in the attitude to go straight back out and do exactly the same as he'd done in the fight before. I saw it all, I know what to do, so I'm hoping to get in and do the same.

The last few days now, do you get nervous?

Yes I do, and I'm trying to get past that, at this stage of my career, but I still get nerves, I want to get positive and get psyched up and get in and go to war.

So you're honing the left hook?

I know Neil Sinclair and what he's bringing, so my training has been done. I know every shot to throw, but this week is all about getting my mind focused. In the past I think I've crumbled under pressure before fights, and taken that into the ring with me. Obviously I've been working on that, on my mental state.

How do you do that then?

Just by trying to focus and get myself psyched up. I'm thinking constantly about the fights, trying to turn all that into a positive. I want to get some nastiness about me, to be honest. I'm too laid back usually, going into fights, so I've got to get nasty.

If you're a laid back person that can't be easy

I know but it's something new I want to try, and it's especially important for this. Normally as I say the nerves get to me going into a fight and it takes me a good six rounds to get started. Obviously I haven't got that time in this event, it's only three rounds each fight. Those nerves have played a big part in my career, but I'm nearly 29 now and it's time to get a bit of aggression about me.

It's rare to hear a fighter being so honest before a contest?

But that's the first place to beat it. It's a problem I've suffered in the past and I've maybe hid away from the truth so it's time to face up. I've always said I was a slow starter but I've never really said why. I've got to get aggression and get nasty. I can't go to the weigh in and do what I usually do, shake the other guy's hand and wish him the best of luck, my fight has to begin when I get face to face at the weigh in. I've got to get in and want to hurt him, to be honest.

You've had a change of attitude to your career all round in the last year

People in the area I speak to say: 'You could have been world champion by now if you took it more seriously, you could have done this or that'. I know what I have to do now. This is an opportunity for me to get in and prove I can get there from the first bell and do damage.

Gavin told us you've even packed up playing striker for your local football team

Not quite! But I was sub this week and said I'd only come on if there was an injury. I didn't bother. It was a nasty game and I thought I might get injured myself! I saw how it was going.

It would be a brave centre half who would try to injure you!

Maybe but I wasn't taking the chance. That's how focused I am on this Prizefighter.

You've started using a nutritionist

After my last defeat. Gavin has as well. We decided we had to get ourselves in order, we got in touch with Martin Broughton and he's worked wonders. It's a bit late really at 28, I should have been doing it when I was 18, I think if I had been things would have been different. That's gone now, but I'll look forward. I've had one fight since I started taking care about what I eat, and I won that easily and felt good. So I'm sticking to the same.

What are you eating then?

In the past I ate junk food and chips and then had to have a couple of days starving to get the weight off, this time I'm on five healthy meals a day. I've never eaten vegetables in my life before this year, but now I'm eating them, and I'm feeling a lot stronger.

We hope it works for you. Gavin backed himself to win Prizefighter with £50 free charity bet so will you do the same?

Definitely. I'll do mine for the NSPCC, and odds of [4.0] are great value. I'm ready for it.

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