TOWERING heavyweight Matty Harris could have played for Aston Villa – but instead he is a sparring partner to the stars and a world champion hopeful.
Harris, 9-1 as a professional boxer, was also on the books at his hometown club Coventry, West Brom and Birmingham.
But by 15, he had left Villa after picking up too many injuries, ending his Premier League hopes.
Harris told SunSport: “I think I was about 13/14. I played for a few different academies at that age but I got too many injuries.
“Believe it or not, I’ve got more injuries playing football than I’ve ever had boxing.
“I remember seeing them at the training ground, Darren Bent and people like that.”
Harris was convinced to play football by his friend before being scouted in his first year – despite not actually enjoying it.
He said: “I just didn’t like football. I never really enjoyed it that much anyway.
“I was just good at it, so the only reason I started playing is some kid from from my school told me to come down and join the team.
“I went down and had a few games and ended up playing with him. And then my first season was when I had trials for Coventry.
The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury will make his return in April against Arslanbek Makhmudov, Conor Benn features for the first time since making the switch to Zuffa Boxing and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also need to defend his straps.
Derek Chisora will fight for the 50th and (perhaps) final time against Deontay Wilder, while Daniel Dubois is also on the comeback trail.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of Moses Itauma, Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
February
- Sat 28 – Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Nunez – super-featherweight unification – DAZN
March
- Sat 14 – Jazza Dickens vs Anthony Cacace – WBA super-featherweight title – DAZN
- Sat 21 – George Liddard vs Tyler Denny – British & Commonwealth Middleweight title – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman – Amazon Prime PPV
April
- Sat 4 – Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora – DAZN PPV
- Sat 11 – Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov – Netflix
- Sat 11 – Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis – Netflix
- Sat 18 – Callum Smith vs David Morrell – DAZN
- Sat 18 – Manny Pacquiao vs Ruslan Provodnikov
- Sat 25 – Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather
- Sat 25 – Lawrence Okolie vs Tony Yoka – DAZN
May
- Sat 9 – Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – WBO title – DAZN
- Sat 9 – Zurdo Ramirez vs David Benavidez – WBA & WBO Cruiserweight titles – Prime Video
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“That was my first season ever playing football. So yeah, it happened quick but as I said, I never actually enjoyed it. It was just more of a social thing.”
Harris trained in kickboxing as a boy but first went to an amateur boxing gym at 15 – before taking it up properly at 18 after leaving football behind.
But the heavyweight got a feel for knocking opponents out during the Covid lockdown when he would spar his mates in a FIELD.
He turned pro soon after in 2021 having skipped the chance to join Team GB’s Olympic squad for the 2024 Games in Paris.
Harris said: “We always had a few fights growing up and whatnot, but yeah I was boxing even before the whole field thing.
“I was still boxing, amateur and whatnot before then. We always used to love fighting, so here we are. It’s eventually turned into a job.”
Harris, at 6ft 8in and 19 STONE, has become a sought-after sparring partner to the likes of Anthony Joshua.
Believe it or not, I’ve got more injuries playing football than I’ve ever had boxing.
Matty Harris
He is also trained by Tyson Fury’s uncle Peter and a regular sparring partner of the Gypsy King’s cousin Hughie.
Harris said: “I’ve been in there with your names from Joshua to Francis Ngannou to Daniel Dubois.
“I mean, honestly, I don’t even know. Derek Chisora, too. Honestly, there’s been that many people I’ve shared the ring with.”
Harris returns to the ring on April 4 in an excellent domestic clash with 9-1-1- Franklin Ignatius at the O2 Arena.
Topping the bill is Derek Chisora, 42, in his 50th and final fight against former American world champ Deontay Wilder, 40.
It was just ten years ago that Harris was watching Chisora’s epic fights with Dillian Whyte down the pub – now they share the same card.
He said: “This is how crazy it is. When I was 16, I went to the pub to watch Derek and Dillian fight way back.
“I remember they boxed again in their rematch in December 2018. So again, I went down to a pub with one of my friends to, to catch the boxing.
“And now I’m boxing on this show, so it’s been a bit of a crazy journey.”
