Egan: Defeat made me a better boxer

Brett Egan…gets his career back on track at Holiday Inn

BRETT Egan – the tall Erdington welter with a noisy army of fans – puts the first loss of his career firmly behind him at Birmingham Airport’s Holiday Inn on Saturday.

For Egan, the bout represents his first outing since being stopped on Tommy Owens’ Top Boxer tournament, a “last man standing” competition of three, three minute round contests.

Brett took the gamble – and such brief ring encounters are always a gamble – and it failed to pay off.

February’s defeat does not represent a disaster. Both Sam Eggington and Kaisee Benjamin were beaten in three round tournaments and went on to lift major titles.

Egan is a boxer with a lot going for him. He’s tall, moves well and carries a dig. The major fanbase is also a big plus.

He eases back with a four rounder against Liam Fox and should encounter few problems in getting his show back on the road.

The Manchester man has lost all seven of his pro contests, all on points, all over four rounds.

Egan pledged there’ll be no hangover from his first defeat. He entered Top Boxer with a 3-0 record, impressed in his first contest of the night – a points win over Connor Meanwell – but was far too gung-ho in the semi-final against Taylor Greig and was stopped in the first.

“I wouldn’t change that loss for the world,” the 28-year-old told me, “because it’s made me a better fighter.

“I used to get really nervous, but I’ve not had that nervousness yet and I think that’s because I was unbeaten and now I’ve lost.

“After being hurt for the first time in my life, I think I’ll enjoy it a lot more. I’ve enjoyed the sparring a lot more.”

Poster for Egan’s fight against Liam Fox

Many a fighter has told me their first defeat felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. The pressure had been eased.

Of that loss, Brett said: “My glove touched the canvas, so it was a knock down. I should’ve thought, ‘I’ve lost that round’ and eased off. Instead, I stormed back, square on and with chin in the air.”

He’s certainly laid back about Saturday’s opposition. “I don’t know the name, if I’m honest. I just turn up.

“I would love to fight for a Midlands title, but I take every day as it comes. I want to see how far I can take it. I do enjoy it all.”

To rub salt into the wounds, Egan’s first loss near coincided with him being laid off from his civil engineering job.

“I’ve been living off my savings,” he said. “I’m not rich by any means, but I’m quite enjoying the time off, it’s given me more ‘me’ time. Before, I was up running, then travelling to my job in Gloucester, then back to the gym. I was always exhausted.”

The increase in free time has seen Brett become an enthusiastic member of the Sunday Running Club, headed by Grant Dempsey, which meets at Sutton Park. “Five o’clock every day. That gave me the motivation to get back into it – Grant has been a big part,” Brett said.

“Every morning we run at 5am, 5k. Lots of strong minded people come and he’s given me the motivation to get up and get it done.”

5am? I’m afraid my mind isn’t strong enough for that.

And Brett has been bolstered by the loyalty of key sponsors Dados Tattoos and Boss barbers.

On Saturday, Brett Egan is back – wiser and, he insists, better for the one blemish on his record.