Boxer Fes ‘The Terrier’ Batista has received a personal letter from Lady Gaga’s Born To Be Foundation thanking him for being a friend and a partner.
Fes, who is fighting on St George’s Day (April 23) in Gadsden, Alabama, has spoken of his love for the superstar in the past and why he finds her an inspiration.
Fes said: “I am absolutely delighted that Lady Gaga’s team sent me a hand-written letter announcing our partnership together. It’s not bad for a lad from Huddersfield, is it? We’re working on making the world a kinder and braver place.”
On why he’s so connected to the American singing star, he said: “When I was a 19-year-old student in Crewe, I was the victim of a bullying campaign.
“People there were really cruel to me. They were mean and very racist. I didn’t tell my parents, it was embarrassing.
“I thought, if these are tomorrow’s professionals, these are tomorrow’s managers and if they feel this way about me for the rest of my life, I’m doomed. I thought about ending my life.
“When I was in this terrible place the lyrics: ‘I’m a warrior queen, I’m not going to cry anymore,’ got my attention because I was crying. I’m not going to cry anymore. I was going to marry the night. I studied Lady Gaga, that song was my saviour, and she says ‘chase your dreams’ and that’s what I’m doing.”
READ MORE: Fes ‘The Terrier’ Batista fighting for English pride on St George’s Day in the heart of the USA
Fes went on to become a professional boxer and is now looking forward to a knockout 2022 and wants to keep proving people wrong.
He said: “I will be representing England on St George’s Day and doing the best for my country and the town I love which is Huddersfield.
“I stalled in my career and now I know this is a big year for me,” he said. “I know a lot of people have been frustrated that I haven’t fought and I’ve been frustrated too, so I want to show people what I can do.”
The letter to Fes says: “Dear Fes, on behalf of our whole team at the Born This Way Foundation, thank you for your generosity and kindness. We’re so grateful to have you as a friend and partner in building a kinder and braver world.”
Fes’s long term dream is to fight at his beloved John Smith’s Stadium, the home of Huddersfield Town, the club he supports.
He has previously told Huddersfield Hub: “My biggest ambition is to bring a big name superstar to the stadium and win by a knockout in front of a Huddersfield crowd. I want to see how they’d handle that intimidating Yorkshire atmosphere.
“Think about it – a lad from Huddersfield goes to America to fight and makes it to the top and brings a big name down to Huddersfield and beats him. How good would that be?
“Imagine being a kid watching that? If you are a kid in Manchester you have Ricky Hatton or London you have Anthony Joshua. Huddersfield doesn’t have anyone like that, so I want to make it happen.
“I said it when I started boxing, one day I want to fight there. I can visualise bringing a big crowd there and winning a fight.”
