Following a brief stint on hit ITV reality show Love Island, middleweight Idris Virgo (5-0-1, 0 KOs) will feel right at home when he fights on the undercard of Hennessy Sports' event on Aug. 22 at a TV studio in Redditch.
The card will be headlined by Shakan Pitters vs. Chad Sugden for the vacant British light-heavyweight title, but Virgo's brash words in the run-up to the show will command as much attention as the action.
"I’m very handsome, a 'fittie', and I know I’m destined to be a superstar. Boxing will now be my platform," says Virgo, who has 171,000 Instagram followers.
"Love Island opened doors and seriously changed my life," Virgo said. "In boxing it’s helped massively with regard to increasing my profile and selling tickets."
Virgo came into the 2018 edition of the reality show late on as a "bombshell" but lasted only four days before departing.
But the middle of seven children has spent his life in and around boxing.
"At school I was actually a prefect and it does take a bit to get me going,’ he told Hennessy Sports in an interview. "But I began boxing at 15,16, long before Love Island.
"This ain’t no gimmick. I had eight White Collar fights, losing just two, plus a dozen amateur which I mostly won. The reason I left the amateurs, aged 25, was because the judges robbed me in the Midland Senior ABAs."
Since then, coach Anthony Hull's TV star client has conceded just two of the 22 rounds that constitute his unbeaten six fight pro career. His next goal is to notch his first career knockout or stoppage — something that could happen on Aug. 22.
"I’m known as ‘The Body Breaker'," continued Virgo. "In previous fights, I was content to take my time but now I intend to put opponents to sleep. I’ll set them up then chop them down with body shots."
Virgo's manager, Jon Pegg, believes he has a future between the ropes, provided he can commit the gym hours.
"Idris is a natural athlete who’d instantly be good at pretty much any sport he embraces," said Pegg, who also manages Pitters. "He’s got a very impressive build and puts his shots together well."
"Because of that reality TV exposure, Iddy can shift tickets. Though he was cast as the bad guy in Love Island, he’s actually a nice kid. He’s very busy doing his videos and stuff but, provided he hits the gym every day, there’s definitely belts in his future."
Virgo's quotes were everything one would expect from someone with prime-time crossover, but amidst all of the lines is a genuine ambition to become a championship boxer one day.
"I’m not in this to mess about," said Virgo. "I intend to win English, British, European and world middleweight titles.
"My appearance should certainly boost the ratings. The ladies love to lust over my sweaty body! Some jealous types will no doubt tune in, in the hope of seeing me get laid out, but I guarantee I’ll disappoint them.
"Because of my profile, every opponent has been desperate to make their name by taking me down, but they never come through, Once I clout them, their game plans disappear out the window.
"When I come through in August, I’ll have another two six-rounders before the end of this year against progressively better opponents. I’m targeting a British title shot by the end of next year."
Hennessy Sports will present a five-fight card headlined with the Pitters vs. Sugden clash, plus in addition to Virgo's next fight, the comeback of Brixton cruiserweight title contender Isaac Chamberlain; a bout for the vacant Midlands Area welterweight title between Birmingham’s Kaisee Benjamin and Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker; and Sevenoaks middleweight prospect Michael Hennessy Jr. The event will be live on free-to-air Channel 5 in the UK.