Fes ‘The Terrier’ Batista is going for a knock-out when he returns to the ring for his first fight in more than 1,400 days.
The bout is on St George’s Day against Michael Petersen in Alabama and Fes wants to become an English hero on American soil on patron saint’s day.
The pumped-up Huddersfield-born fighter insists he isn’t interested in having a traditional boxing career and believes his story is bigger than the sport itself.
A confident Fes – who says he was brought back from the brink of suicide by the words of a Lady Gaga song – said: “I’m really looking forward to the fight. It’s been a long time coming.
“I’m not thinking about my opponent and what he has, I’m thinking about me. I know I have world class punching power which only 4% of boxers have.
“I am a naturally gifted guy, ask Roy Jones Jr (his trainer) and the Mayweathers. At the end of the day if I start thinking about him that’s a weak mentality and I don’t have that.”
Fes, 31, added: “My training has been good, I have a private gym and have been working tremendously hard to get ready for the fight.
“I’m going for the knockout, I’ll get a few rounds under my belt but then in the second half of the fight I’m going to knock him out.
“What a way to win a fight where people can look at me and see I have the spirit of St George on me. I’m smashing someone up and knocking them out.
“Huddersfield will be mentioned for the first time ever in Alabama and that’s my job to take the name on the international stage.
“They can’t do what I can and that’s putting the town out there proactively as an individual.”
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On his journey and back story, Fes said: “People think I have to have 40 fights to get a name, but I don’t. I already have a name. I haven’t fought for ages and I’m still making lots of money. I have big sponsors in LA and Las Vegas, in London and Manchester.
“I’ve been on CNN and a billion TV screens to tell my story, what we have created is a great team with lots of skills. We have created a pop culture thing, my story is bigger than just a story about boxing.
“I have a soft spot for Huddersfield and am proud to be from there. The sponsors I have are brilliant whether they are from Huddersfield or elsewhere, all the support is appreciated.
“I’m doing something that no boxer from Huddersfield has done in the past, is doing right now or – in my opinion – will do in the future. It’s my duty to take Huddersfield international.”
Fes is due to fight in Gadsden, Alabama, on Saturday April 23.
