BEAUDESERT boxer Dylan Biggs is feeling confident for his first fight back since November.
The Bulletin caught up with him about recovering from injury, confronting his first professional loss in the ring and growing into his ‘man strength’ as a middleweight fighter.
Strong and confident
WHEN Dylan Biggs takes on Marcus Heywood at Southport Sharks on July 20, he will have eight months of mental and physical preparation under his belt.
He is feeling strong in his new campaign in middleweight, finding a more natural fit in the 72.5kg division.
It will be his first fight since he lost his Super Welterweight title to Nikita Tszyu.
The November 22 fight exacerbated an existing training injury from mid-October, in which he broke the second and third metacarpal in his left hand.
Biggs didn’t stay away from the gym for long after his December 15 surgery and has been dedicated to his recovery ever since.
A good fit
It is clear middleweight feels right for Biggs.
“I’ve fluctuated between middleweight and super welter, just to try to fill in fights and opponents but the weight cut’s been too much and I’m growing out of the super welterweight division, so it was time to move up,” he said.
“I’m finally starting to hone in on what weight I can make comfortably but I’ve still got plenty of growing to do, I’m only 22 years old, I’ll still have another growth spurt. As fighters say, I’ve still got to come into my man strength as I get older and physically mature.”
A strong mind
The eight-month break has been tough for Biggs, who has trained with Justin O’Leary at Beaudesert Boxing Club since he was 10 years old, but it has strengthened his mental game.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think to myself and figure out if it’s what I want to do and how I feel about my hand and look back and review the fight,” he said.
“I told myself I’d have to come to terms with it and, it was a bit harsh, but I had to watch the fight before I could move forward and before I’d even take another fight.
“That was really important for me, accepting what’s happened and not trying to look past it or forget it. It was my first loss; it exacerbated my injury, and it was a nightmare.”
Dedicated to boxing
Biggs said the break was a great opportunity to spend more time with his fiancé Unique Wharerau and their baby Zylah but resting after surgery did not come naturally.
“Keeping out of the gym was very difficult and pretty much non-existent. It’s what I do for a living and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
