'˜Give our sport a fighting chance says Preston boxer'

Stuart Maddox won his latest professional legalised bare knuckle bout at the Echo Arena in Liverpool .

And he has called on spectators to get behind the sport, which he says is now a million miles away from preconceptions of two men slugging it out brutally in a makeshift arena.

Stuart, 38, beat his opponent Sean Donnelly on points in a bout organised by the BKB, the only licensed bare knuckle boxing company in the world.

He said: “The fight went really well – it couldn’t have gone better.

“I would have stopped him I think but the bell went.

“It was a great show. BKB are the only legalised company going.

“Everything is well run and very safe.

“Bare knuckle boxing is growing in popularity. BKB isn’t underground pit fights full of thugs – we are fathers and family men.”

Chorley-born Stuart trains with the Larches and Savick Boxing Club.

The dad-of-three now combines the sport with his work as a groundworker.

He hopes to fight again later in the year in London.

Last year he teamed up with Bolton-based boxer Amir Khan to take part in a special fight night in Pakistan.

It was the first of its kind in the country.

It was organised by the Amir Khan Trust to raise funds to build two wells in drought-hit Tharparker.

Stuart started showing an interest in bare knuckle boxing several years ago.

His friend became world champion and so Stuart decided to give it a shot after being reassured about the professionalism and responsibility of the sport.

Stuart said: “I was drawn to it. People said it wouldn’t work – but it is a sport that’s going somewhere.”

Stuart trains hard and has to look after his hands as there are no protective gloves.

He said: “I’ve had a few bumps and bruises but nothing too bad. My hands are a bit sore today – I fought on Saturday night and I was back in work on Sunday morning!