Craddock admits: It may be end of career

Happier times…now a knee injury may end Swiggy’s days as a pro

WILDLY popular Matt “Swiggy” Craddock has admitted his career may be over.

Best scenario for the Kings Norton bantam is nine months away from the game following surgery on a badly damaged knee. Sadly, time is not on his side.

Today, the value-for-money fighter admitted: “It could be all over, I don’t want it to be, I’m missing, it, but it could be the end.”

If so, the curtain has been drawn on a very colourful chapter for Birmingham boxing. A Craddock fight was a raucous carnival for Birmingham City fans. They attended in droves.

He invariably capped the evening with an exciting performance.

Swiggy hasn’t boxed since February, 2022, when he outpointed Steve Maguire. He was rapidly improving, with only one loss in six.

The 32-year-old ticketseller said: “I had the surgery in November. It’s a boxing injury and I had it for my last three fights. Back then, I called it a wobble – the leg would just give way.

“It has driven me mad. It’s not only my career, but I lost eight weeks at my job as a ground-worker.”

Matt turned pro late at 29 and without real amateur pedigree. 

But the 31-year-old is rapidly became an unlikely success story. 

“When I turned pro, my dream was to win a Midlands title,” he told me back in 2021. “Now I think I can achieve that and beyond. Now I’m at bantam, I should make the top 10 in the country.

“I know I’ll never be a world champion, but I’d love to fight for the English title. I’m also eligible for the Celtic title - I’m of Irish descent.”

Matt turned pro without fanfare. He had amateur schoolboy bouts for Ironworks and Austin, but walked away from the sport aged 15. 

He returned on the unlicenced circuit, then signed professional forms. “It was something I always wanted to do and knew if I left it any longer it’d be too late,” he said.

Matt was christened Swiggy by former amateur trainer Mick Redmond.

“I was drinking from a water bottle,” he laughed, ‘and Micky said, ‘stop swigging and come over here’. It stuck.”

The sole defeat on his record underlined Matt’s worth: it says more about the ticket-seller’s boxing DNA than his victories.

In Liverpool in September, 2021, he was outpointed over six rounds by former Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist Jack Bateson.

“It was during lockdown, I just wanted to fight,” said Matt. “It was always going to be tough, it was a massive step-up, but I learned so much.

“To be honest, I got more credit for taking him the distance than for my wins. After the loss, there was talk about me fighting Liam Davies.”

At least things are looking up for Matt outside boxing. He’s launched his own groundwork company, Craddock Construction.

After our interview, he said: “Talking to you has really brought the bug back. If my leg was better, I’d be in the gym tonight!”