I was packaging up brake pads and considered hanging up my gloves while scaffolding, now I’m making my way in boxing
JACK MASSEY has been cast as British boxing’s Good Will Hunting, ordered off the building site to make something of his talent and NEVER return.
The 31-year-old Cheshire cruiserweight has done ten-hour shifts boxing brake pads with his dad while trying to box his way out of the rat race.
And when the fights dried up in 2022, he was scaffolding with his brother and considering hanging his gloves up on one of the giant poles.
A brave but unsuccessful 2023 points loss to former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker resurrected his career.
And on Saturday he gets a crack at 14st 4lbs Aussie boogieman and IBF king Jai Opetaia.
It has the potential to be a script the brightest minds in Hollywood would struggle to write, if it wasn’t for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck doing such a great job in the 1997 Box Office smash with much-missed Robin Williams.
“My dad has worked at the same brake pad factory for 40 years,” he told SunSport in an emotional chat.
“When I was there he would always say to me: ‘Do you want to be stuck here like me for the rest of your life – or do you want to make something of yourself in boxing?’
“When I used to work with my brother, he would say ‘do you really want to be doing this s***?’
“They both told me I could make something of my life through boxing and that has stuck with me.
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“It’s been a bit like that Matt Damon film where he is really intelligent and his mate tells him the best thing that could happen was that he drives to collect him for another day on site and Damon has gone.
“They always told me it would be offensive to them if he didn’t go on and make something of himself. And that sticks in my mind.
“The fellas on sites and in factories are the boxing fans in our country – so it means a lot and it reminds me why I do it.”
There is a misconception that every boxer on TV – especially on the new wave of Saudi Arabia sponsored shows – are millionaires overnight.
The truth is barely the top 1 per cent get to fight and train full-time – let alone live a life of luxury.
And the freebie flight Massey enjoyed jetting over from the underrated Joe Gallagher gym in Manchester is a reminder it’s a long way back if he doesn’t do himself justice.
He explained: “People who don’t really know boxing assume we all have fortunes in the bank.
“I have had a few people recently reach out and ask me to sponsor things and I am happy to help out where I can – but I haven’t got fortunes.
“I flew over here in business class for the first time in my life – I didn’t pay for it!
“I am 6ft 4in so I usually hate flying because I am so penned in, it was a nice treat.”