Idris Virgo: do not believe the hype

Idris Virgo…Birmingham reality star turned boxer

I LOST a little patience with body beautiful Idris Virgo – the reality TV star turned boxer – after a member of his “PR team” rang with an invitation to interview the super-middle.

That, I felt, was quite astonishing. At the time, Idris had yet to graduate beyond four round contests.

I could – and still can – ring champions such as Sam Eggington, Tyler Denny, Shakan Pitters, Ijaz Ahmed etc off-the-cuff and chat amicably.

If any of those had said, “sorry, you’ll have to go through my press officer”, I would’ve feared they’d taken one punch too many.

But then, Idris, from Moseley, Birmingham, had a curious, unbeaten career that straddled showbiz and boxing. The lure of Youtube was always great.

He was caught between two stools.

I attended one contest where he entered the ring as Rocky’s rival Apollo Creed. Each bout was followed by a theatrical interview. Fellow reality stars who dabbled in the noble art were frequently challenged.

Tellingly, Virgo did not demand a fight for the Midlands title or “call out” a leading prospect.

I thought Idris’ career was done and dusted. Then the former Love Island contestant turned up at Wembley in January on a card topped by internet sensation KSI.

He outpointed an individual called Anthony “Pretty Boy” Taylor over four rounds, dropping his opponent in the third.

In all honesty, Virgo looked accomplished and polished. Taylor, from an MMA background, looked very, very limited. Novice raw.

After the bout, Idris told the press pack: “I want Slim. So Slim, if you’re watching this, I want you next.”

The “Slim” in question is Slim Albaher, described on the internet as “a Yemen Youtuber with over 800,000 subscribers. He would formerly make Vlogs on his personal life and issues.”

Idris’ demand speaks volumes for the direction he wants his career to take. He desires to be at the forefront of the Youtube boxing scene.

I wish the now 29-year-old success, but the rise of internet boxing stars leaves me cold.

Virgo owes an awful lot to early manager Jon Pegg, Anthony Hull, boss of D&A gym where he trained, and the Eastside gym team.

They turned a limited hopeful into a very decent fighter – at his level. He also became a regular on televised terrestrial boxing cards. During the lockdown days of empty arenas, he was one of Britain’s most active boxers.

In the early days, I saw him fight at Aston Villa’s Holte Suite on a number of occasions and felt there was a lot of work to be done. He looked a novice.

Yet in his last bout under the auspices of the British Boxing Board of Control Idris halted Adam Trenado – a Spaniard with a winning record – in seven. That stretched his unbeaten run to 13.

He had come on leaps and bounds, but was still well below the level of British title contenders.

Not surprisingly, Virgo’s success – his televised bouts, paydays and undemanding opposition – was resented by more accomplished boxers.

But it’s not hard to see why Hennessy Sports signed a promotional deal with Virgo in 2020 and made him a regular on their Channel 5 fight cards.

He was great TV. Idris had the striking looks, the showmanship and really can talk the talk.

When penning that deal, he said: “I’m over the moon to sign with Mick Hennessy, he believes in me and where I’m going and what I’m going to do and I’ll deliver on that.

“I’m dedicated to boxing and with this new deal in place I’m one hundred percent committed to the sport and achieving my aim of becoming a world champion.”

Ominously, the press release announcing that partnership added: “One fighter Virgo is looking forward to welcoming to the pro ranks is Jack Fincham, the eventual winner of Love Island 2018, who recently turned professional and who Virgo issued a challenge to.”

Jack Fincham has, to date, one Youtube bout to his name – an exhibition draw with Anthony Taylor (the same Anthony Taylor beaten by Virgo) in Dubai.

That pretty much summed up the state of play. Yet there were Channel 5 viewers who believed Virgo was/is a world beater.

He wasn’t. There’s a list of British super-middles and light-heavies who would’ve beaten Idris. A long list.

Virgo is still out there, still hunting down Youtube opponents. There are young internet addicts who will follow his progress.

But it ain’t boxing as I understand it.

As a traditionalist, I wanted to see him really tested in a meaningful, Board of Control contest. That never happened. It never happened for a reason.

Because it didn’t happen, those hard men within the game will see his career as nothing more than a sideshow.

He was fun, he was entertaining, but he was never the best at his weight in the West Midlands.