Cyrus Pattinson is fighting his way back from “rock bottom” as he looks to continue his career renaissance in Newcastle this Saturday.
Pattinson was a top GB amateur boxer, who was one win away from qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The welterweight turned professional in 2021, winning his first six fights. With a large fanbase behind him he proved himself a North East ticket seller. He won a thrilling clash with former British champion Chris Jenkins but lost another all-action brawl with Conah Walker.
Pattinson was stopped in that 2023 clash and his road back has been arduous. After defeat he found himself without a promoter, a manager or a trainer, and was struggling with a severe eye injury that almost destroyed his career.
The situation could scarcely have been more bleak.
"It was rock bottom. I wasn't even looking towards next week and next month or the next fight. Sometimes it was that dark that I was just trying to find a way of getting through the day, surviving the day," he told Your Site.
"Because there were that many bad and negative thoughts that were running through my head. That 24 hours sometimes felt like a lifetime. But I was always just living by that motto of one more day, getting through the day wherever I was.
"I know where I was when I was doing the 15, 20 mile walks every day in the rain to try and keep my head right when I did go through that state of depression which was like life and death every time. That a lot of people didn't really know about and I wasn't really open about it.
"We got through and we're here."
The popular Newcastle fighter found his way to Billy Nelson's gym in Glasgow, initially as a sparring partner for Jack Rafferty and then for world champion Lewis Crocker.
Nelson now has taken Pattinson under his wing and after three consecutive wins Pattinson fights back at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle on Saturday against Tunde Segun Adeyemi.
"I've got a good fighter, a dangerous fighter in front of us on Saturday night who's coming to win," Pattinson said. "I do enjoy getting stuck in, I do wear my heart on my sleeve and I'll always be that way.
"If something's going easy, I'll put more effort in. That's the way I've been brought up and that's the way I am as a person. I put my heart and soul into everything I do.
"People get their money's worth and it's an entertainment business. I know it's my role as a fighter but first and foremost is always to win."
Pattinson's loss to Walker looks better in hindsight too. Walker has continued to excel, most recently knocking out Olympic silver medallist Pat McCormack in Monaco.
"I was giving myself a very hard time for that fight because I was nowhere near my best and I know what I'm capable of and I can beat all these names," Pattinson said.
"He's gone on to be successful and be one of the bigger names in the welterweight division in the country. But I know I'm just as good if not better. I think it's only a matter of time before I'm back up in the mix. I know I'm capable of beating anybody."
After his next fight, he intends to target the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles.
His trainer Billy Nelson told Your Site: "I'm very happy with Cyrus' improvement. He's a consummate professional to be perfectly honest, both inside and outside the ring. He actually lives with me when he's up in Scotland for his 10, 12 week training camp. He's improved bundles as a fighter and after this fight I'd like to see him challenge for domestic level titles if not European.
"I'm more than confident that he can compete at that level."
Pattinson said: "I'm just keeping my eyes open and ears open for any opportunity that presents itself.
"100 per cent my focus is on Saturday," he added. "But long-term British and Commonwealth would be fantastic, I'd love them belts which I know I'm very capable of winning.
"I'm an asset for any of the promoters. I'm always in entertaining fights. I'm a fantastic fighter and boxer. I sell, I've got a great following.
"When I've already come from what I've come from and the things that I came through, I trust myself more than anyone else. As long as I stay true to me then that's all that matters."
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