Failed Love Island contestant and now professional boxer Idris Virgo has been branded a coward and a fraud by promoter Steve Goodwin in a interview in the wake of Virgo's recent embarrassing antics at a press conference before his last fight. Goodwin has offered Virgo £100,000 bonus if he can beat his unbeaten fighter Brad Pauls (14-0) in a fight that could be shown live on channel 5 or on one of Goodwin's shows. He then sweetened the deal after Virgo stated he would knock Pauls out by adding £25,000 bonus if he does knock him out. Goodwin said in the interview “He just has to turn up, put the gloves on, get knocked out, eat some humble pie and learn what humility is, he is down the bottom level and Brad is at the top".
When ask if he thought Virgo would take the fight Goodwin said “No because I think the mans a coward and a bully, let him throw some water in Brads face because Brad will hit him with an extra uppercut and instead of knocking him to the floor he will punish him for a bit longer, he will get Knocked out, because he is average".
Goodwin then told the interviewer that he would be putting it in writing and will be sending Virgo’s manager Jon Pegg who he said he respects the offer and they will see if they take it.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Well Steve Goodwin is putting his money where his mouth is and backing his fighter Brad Pauls, but will Virgo take the bait? Well looking on box rec there is a fair gap between them, Brad Pauls fights in the Middleweight division and is currently ranked 26th in the UK. He has won all 14 of his fights and fought 2, 6 round contests and 3 times over 10 rounds. He won the Southern area Middleweight title in August of last year and defended it in November with both fights ending in TKO wins.
Virgo has dropped a place in the Super Middleweight ranking being relegated to 49th in the UK winning 7 fights and drawing 1 with all 8 fights being over 4 rounds.
I honestly think Virgo has no choice but to accept this fight, he has given it the big one in his last two press conferences and been totally disrespectful too opponents which on paper he should be beating if his hype is to be believed. I can see what he is trying to do by getting people talking about him with his arrogances and his narcissistic tendencies as it has work for some of the greats like Ali, Eubanks and Naz but the difference being they backed it up against top quality opponents. Virgo's conduct in his two infamous press conferences have been disrespectful and embarrassing for Boxing in Birmingham and that was shown by the lack of support from his team when Williams coach got involved. I’ve said it before I have met Idris several times and he has always came across as a decent bloke but since his week on Love island and some Instagram fame he seems to have changed his attitude.
Virgo's last 3 opponents have not won 1 fight between them so in respect not really something to be bragging about. I have watched all of Virgo’s fights and I have to say ‘Don’t believe the Hype' average is about right. In my opinion he was lucky to get a draw against Rene Molik on the under-card of the ultimate Boxxer as Molik had won the first and was winning the second but the fight was stopped due to a accidental clash of heads. In my opinion he will be lucky to win a Midlands area title but what do I know, the one thing he has got going for him is self belief which can go a long way but it doesn’t block punches. I just want to see ‘The One & Only', ‘Body Breaker’ Idris Virgo in a fight against an a opponent with a winning record and that can fight back and if he can beat someone like Pauls who is only a few levels up from him I will start to believe the hype.
Virgo is more than welcome to come for an interview on Welcome to Fightden and put his point of view across.
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