A CARLISLE boxer has fought his way up from a life of crime and serious drug addiction to be crowned the UK bare knuckle heavyweight champion.

When Decca Heggie’s cocaine addiction was at its worst a few years ago he thought he had two options – either he was going to end up in prison or he was going to die.

“It was that bad,” he said. “It was a really bad addiction.”

The 31-year-old, born and bred in Harraby and now living in Welsh Road, admits that he has committed a lot of crime in the past. He also suffered from depression and struggled with mental illness.

“I was in a place where I just felt there was no way out. I was in a dark place,” he said.

“You’re in that mindset – you just feel like you have got nothing to live for.

“From where I was to where I am, it’s a 180 degree turn. I could have been dead in a ditch.”

Decca decided to turn his life around after a chance meeting with a priest who he bumped into on the street one day.

The priest asked if he had ever thought about going to church. Although sceptical, Decca went along – a decision which he said changed his life. He has not touched either drink or drugs for three years and is now very against drugs.

Decca says he doesn’t preach about his faith. “It’s my own little thing,” he explained.

Around the same time, he started watching bare knuckle boxing fights on YouTube and thought he could do that... and win.

“I always knew I was tough but I have never been a bully.

“I have never thrown my weight around but I knew I was a good fighter.”

Although he was interested he didn’t have any professional training at first.

“I went into it quite raw. I joined off the streets to be honest,” he said.

In 2013, Decca was invited to fight in a back garden in London. If he won, he would be paid, if not, he’d walk away with nothing. Although no one expected him to win, he did and from then on he started to build a reputation.

He has continued to be invited to fights and won his first regulated fight last January.

He started training professionally at Mark’s Muscle Gym, Nelson Street, Denton Holme, and with the help of trainer Mark Day, has built on skills and fitness on his natural fighting ability. 

He is now looking for sponsorship to help him invest in his training and continue to improve.

Mark said: “I have trained a lot of fighters over the years and I have never met a guy with so much stamina. He’s unstoppable.”

Mr Heggie trains twice a day, six days a week at the gym and feels fitter than he ever has. He also feels more agile, which he said makes him feel more dangerous.

Although he was not expecting to win the fight for the UK bare knuckle heavyweight champion title, at Haydock, near Liverpool, he managed to knock out his opponent in the second round. His next fight is on June 25, against a top fighter from Ireland in Rotherham greyhound stadium.

As well as continuing to improve his boxing, Decca is passionate about inspiring children and young people to follow in his footsteps. He has started training children at Currock Community Centre and hopes to do lots more.

“From what I have done and what I have come from, I want to put myself in a position to help people.

“If I can do it, they can do it. If you have got a dream, you should go for it.”

Decca believes bare knuckle fighting could help others change their lives and ultimately reduce violence on the streets.

“A lot of trouble caused on the street is caused by boredom,” he said. “If you open a boxing club or work with kids, it gives them something to strive for.”

Instead of pointing guns or brandishing knives, Decca said people should have a fair fight with their fists and shake hands at the end.

“If it saves one life, it’s worth it,” he said.

Video footage of some Decca Heggie fights is available on YouTube