![](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/incoming\/article31344512.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_domil.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIn his own words, Dominic Negus is \u201cinfamous\u201d rather than famous as he aims to polish his legacy with a bare-knuckle boxing bout at the age of 53.<\/p>\n
The former heavyweight, who fought Audley Harrison more than 20 years ago, is preparing to make his official bare-knuckle debut this weekend. That Harrison fight, a points defeat, proved to be the last of his pro boxing career. It is best remembered for his headbutt on the Olympian, with Negus furious after being punched while down on one knee in the fourth round.<\/p>\n
His fight against Norweigen Andre Lovli at the BKB 35 show this Saturday will be one of the highlights of a packed card at a sold-out Indigo Arena in London's O2. It will technically be his bare-knuckle fighting debut, although he has had plenty of unofficial and unlawful scraps down the years.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: 'I fled the war in Ukraine \u2013 now I'm a British bare-knuckle boxing champion'<\/b><\/p>\n
READ MORE: <\/b>'Blood, gore, marriage proposals and Big Narstie \u2013 my night at bare-knuckle boxing'<\/b><\/p>\n
Negus, he readily admits, has been his own worst enemy at times, but has turned over a new leaf. He says his daughter, now 19, has been his biggest influencer in leading a calmer lifestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for me to exercise some demons,\u201d he tells Daily Star Sport.<\/b> \u201cWhen I go, I won\u2019t be able to leave my daughter what I\u2019d like to leave her, but I can leave my legacy and this is part of the legacy for me.<\/p>\n
What do you think of Dominic Negus bare-knuckle fighting at 53? Tell us in the comments section below<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore she came along, I was involved in a lot of not-so-good things. I don\u2019t want to go too much into it because it was 20 years ago, but she changed the whole playing field for me. She made me realise I didn\u2019t have to be a horrible person. <\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I didn\u2019t take a liberty with anyone who didn\u2019t deserve it, but if I sold a ticket to everyone I\u2019ve knocked out, I\u2019d probably sell Wembley Arena out!<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 53 and I know my time [in the ring] is nearly up, but I know I can hold my own with most people out there. I need to redeem myself. I need to prove something to myself. Sometimes you have to do things you don\u2019t want to do and this is kind of the case with this fight.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/incoming\/article31514939.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Audley-Harrisonboxingc.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of people who don\u2019t want me doing it\u2026 I\u2019ve had phone calls from good friends of mine asking me \u2018why are you doing this? You shouldn\u2019t be doing this at your age\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI totally get that but I say \u2018listen, you come and live my life, you try and live a couple of days in my head\u2019. Some people have nice houses, nice cars, I haven\u2019t got that, so I have to make my legacy in different ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that I just want people to think Dominic Negus is just a hard b******, there\u2019s a little bit more to me. I need to prove to myself what I\u2019m about."<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/incoming\/article31515046.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_negus2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Negus, who recently triumphed on an unlicensed boxing show, says his upcoming fight has given him a \u201ckick up the a***\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the hardest I\u2019ve trained since I fought Audley Harrison. I\u2019m taking it really seriously,\u201d he declares. \u201cI\u2019ve only ever trained to fight. I don\u2019t drink anymore \u2013 I haven\u2019t for years \u2013 but when people used to ask me to go down the gym, I\u2019d say \u2018why, is there a bar there?\u2019<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/incoming\/article31064680.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_BKB34-1116.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m well known in the boxing world, I was more infamous than famous. But I can fight and I can punch. Bare-knuckle is a bit different and I\u2019m not expecting to come out of there unscathed, but I\u2019m expecting to come out a winner. I\u2019m not training to come second.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m ready for six minutes of mayhem [the fight will be over three two-minute rounds]. I\u2019m not worrying about what he\u2019s got, he needs to be worrying about what I\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n
Negus has written a new book – 'Dominic Negus: What about me?' – which is available to buy <\/i><\/b>HERE<\/i><\/b> priced \u00a319.99.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n