Ashley Cain has revealed his “six-week” training regime ahead of his now-cancelled boxing debut at the Deji vs. Alex Wassabi boxing match.
The 31-year-old ex-pro footballer Cain had to pull out of Showstar Boxing 2022, after his rival and American YouTube star Andreas Eskander supposedly withdrew from the fight.
Now, the former Ex On The Beach contestant has told SPORTbible about his “non-stop” training regime as he hoped to follow in the footsteps of celebrity-turned-boxing stars like KSI, Logan Paul and Jake Paul.
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“Just under three weeks ago, I started training,” he revealed, just moments away from the fight which would have seen him, his opponent, and the rest of the undercard donning 12 oz gloves, without the use of head guards.
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“It’s probably six or seven weeks I’ve had to get in shape and get boxing-fit. It’s not the allocated time I would have liked, but in the same way, my daughter’s foundation is going to be a benefactor of this event,” he told us, reflecting on the charity which was created in light of his daughter Azaylia's passing to support UK-based children fighting cancer. “So I think if I had a week’s notice to jump in there, I would have made the same decision because that’s so important to me.”
"I boxed for a couple of months before my daughter was born, and then I hadn’t put the gloves on for two years, prior to six weeks before knowing that we’re gonna be fighting. So, yeah, it’s definitely gonna be the first time fighting in front of a big audience."
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Despite his relatively short time training in the ring, Cain won't let that stop him on the night: "I believe that I’m gonna go in there and win.
"I have a lot of determination, I have a lot of fight, I have a lot of pent up aggression built up over the last two years to release on that night - so he’s [Andreas] probably gonna get all that and more."
While Cain’s determination never changes, his training schedule certainly does.
“Every day is slightly different. One thing I make sure I do is I run five-to-six days a week,” he tells us.
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“I swim four days a week, I box three days a week, I do my strength and conditioning two days a week.”
Not only is the hopeful boxer hoping to make waves at his debut, but he is also training for an ultra-marathon the month after the big fight, “which is crazy!”, he explains.
As for a day-in-the-life of the TV personality’s sporting endeavours? He tells us: “Tomorrow, I’ll wake up, I’ll go swimming and I’ll probably swim 500 metres. I’ll have a stretch and recovery session, then I’ll do my strength and conditioning.
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“Then I’ll get back, have some food then I’ll do my boxing, then I’ll get back from that, have some food, then I’ll do a ten-mile run that night. So, it’s non-stop.”
And before you ask, no, his busy schedule doesn’t fit in rest-days, either.
“I don’t have a rest day because I have to get up at 5.30am because I have commitments to do with the foundation… I have to work on that, I have to work on my personal projects in the midst of that as well.
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“I don’t really go to bed until 12/one o’clock at night, so if I get a solid five-hour sleep, that’s a good night for me.”
As for the upcoming fight, “of course I’m gonna be staying and watching the whole event”, Cain tells us.
“This is Team UK vs. Team USA, so obviously I want the UK boys to dominate on the night, and I just think it’s gonna be a really amazing event.”
Cain also weighed in on the Deji vs. Wassabi main event, and is backing Deji on the night.
“I’m going with my boy from Team UK, Deji. It’s about time, it’s his time now to prove himself, it’s his time to pick up that ‘W’ and it’s his time to do it for team UK.”
Featured Image Credit: Instagram @mrashleycainTopics: Boxing, Heavyweight Boxing, Light Heavyweight, UFC