Martin Stapleton gears up for comeback fight

Martin Stapleton

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Double British Title-winner Martin Stapleton will be taking part in a comeback fight at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on Saturday 23 June.

Martin, who co-owns the recently-opened Full Contact Performance Centre gym at Ensor Mill on Queensway, has been serving in Afghanistan as a Marine and the bout at the Reebok will be first fight since 2009.

Martin has been a professional MMA fighter since 2007, and has fought over in America in The Ultimate Fighter competition.

MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, is a full contact combat sport that combines elements of fighting styles.

Martin said: “I chose MMA because it’s the most realistic style of combat – it’s a fight. Boxing is just a boxing match, with strict rules but this is the closest you can get to an actual fight. It’s the real thing.”

The last fight Martin took part in saw him lift his second British Title after he defeated Ashley Smith at the end of 2009. Despite having not competed for almost three years, Martin is far from nervous.

He said: “I’ve been training hard, training properly since January. Feelings don’t come into it, it’s about training and the skills you’ve got.”

Martin juggles full-time fighting and the Marines with family life. He and wife Hayley have two young children – Olivia, 6, and Jenson, 20 months.

Martin loves Marine life, but prefers being back home with the family. He said: “I love being in the Marines, it’s the best, but it keeps me away from my children.

"Hayley’s not a huge MMA fan but she obviously prefers it when I’m fighting here to when I’m in Afghanistan.”

The Full Contact Contender event at the Reebok will see Martin paired against London fighter Shah ‘No Pain’ Hussain.

Martin may have been out of action for almost three years but he’s far from nervous. He said: “Feelings don’t come into it, it’s about training hard and the skills you’ve got. I’ve been training hard, training properly since January.

"We’ve got about 150 people coming down from the gym, it’s going to be a top night.”

Martin has co-owned the Full Contact Performance Centre since it opened three months ago. With top of the range gym equipment, MMA facilities, coaching and conditioning, it is one of the top facilities in the UK and open to levels of fitness, age and experience.

You can pick up tickets for Martin’s fight from the Full Contact Performance Centre for £25. The event begins at 3.30pm and the first fight is at 4.30pm.