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      in Boxing

      Floyd Mayweather breaks down in tears over death of his long-time assistant who he says was the ‘sister I never had’

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      FLOYD MAYWEATHER broke down in tears when emotionally discussing the death of his long-time assistant Marikit “Kitchie” Laurico.Kitchie worked with Mayweather for much of his 25-year unbeaten career and was one of his closest confidants.
      Floyd Mayweather broke down in tears when emotionally discussing the death of his assistant
      Marikit ‘Kitchie’ Laurico with MayweatherCredit: Instagram
      Mayweather called Kitchie ‘a sister’Credit: Instagram
      Kitchie sadly passed away in March 2023
      But she sadly passed away last March due to reportedly suffering health problems.
      Mayweather was left heartbroken following Kitchie’s passing and tearfully paid tribute to her on The Pivot Podcast.
      He said: “Kitchie was the only person in life that I could talk about anything to, that knew my deepest secrets.
      “There was no male or female in my life that I told more stuff to than her.
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      “She taught me a lot, she helped me a lot. Through rain, sleet, snow or hail, she had my back.”
      Mayweather revealed they had planned to celebrate Kitchie’s 50th birthday in Aruba and the most recent Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
      But she tragically passed away before they could fulfil their plans.
      Mayweather said she had been dealing with some health issues – but did not specify which – and had encouraged her to seek treatment just days before her death. 
      Most read in Boxing
      He tearfully added: “We argue, we debate, we help each other. That’s a sister I never had. A best friend I ever had.”
      A statement posted to Kitchie’s Instagram account by her family last year revealed that she died on Friday, March 31.
      Floyd Mayweather breaks silence over Manny Pacquiao rematch
      It read: “On March 31, 2023, our brilliant star Kitchie abandoned the physical garment… the angels of Thy loving-kindness descended successively upon her and have ascended her to the spiritual world.
      “We thank all of you who have reciprocated genuine love and positive energy with her
      “We are grateful for your patience and honoring our privacy. Homegoing/ celebration of life arrangements for Kitchie are currently in progress, and updated information will be shared accordingly.” More

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      in Soccer

      Former Chelsea ace Lennie Pidgeley reveals he contemplated suicide three years after winning Premier League

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      LENNY PIDGELEY admits he contemplated suicide three years after winning the Premier League with Chelsea.The former Blues goalkeeper, 40, played at Stamford Bridge between 2003 and 2006.
      Lenny Pidgeley has opened up on his battle with panic attacks and anxietyCredit: Rex
      Pidgeley, who retired in 2018, admits he considered suicideCredit: Getty
      He was there for the start of the Roman Abramovich era.
      And Pidgeley checked out his Chelsea career with victory in the Carabao Cup, then known as the League Cup, as well as the Premier League title.
      The stopper, who ended up playing just twice for Chelsea, eventually moved to London rivals Millwall in 2006.
      But it was during this time he began experiencing panic attacks.
      READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS
      Pidgeley, who was 23 years old at the time, recalls keeping himself in his bedroom during a turbulent period.
      He even considered suicide after struggling to cope.
      And when he was selected for a fiery Millwall game away at Leeds, he ended up locking himself in a toilet while battling anxiety.
      Pidgeley bravely told The Telegraph: “It had started during the summer, in the off-season. I started getting anxiety attacks and I’d be in bed, door locked under the covers with all the curtains closed. 
      Most read in Football
      “Millwall had sent me to the Priory and I hadn’t played for months. I’d just got back training a little bit and the goalkeeper who was on loan couldn’t play. 
      “I had been feeling a little bit better and the next thing I knew I was playing at Elland Road, first game back. I was in the toilet 10 minutes before kick-off having a panic attack. 
      I played with Lampard and Mata at Chelsea but flop who made just six appearances was most talented, says Eden Hazard
      “I was dripping with sweat, vomiting, my heart was pumping out of my chest and I was trying to convince myself that my hamstring was going to go. 
      “I thought about it so much that I could feel my hamstring actually tightening up. Then I was running out there, standing in front of 30,000 people. 
      “Three weeks earlier I was thinking about killing myself and now they’re calling me a w****r, and whatever, and I’m just thinking ‘oh my God, if you knew what was going on in my head.’
      “I got through the game, but I couldn’t tell you what happened or what the result was. I probably blanked it out because I don’t want to remember anything about it. 
      “Even talking about it brings it all back, look I’m getting hot now, rubbing my head, my mouth’s gone a bit dry.
      “The panic attacks were uncontrollable to the point where I wanted to jump off a balcony. I was in a real, real bad way. 
      “I was embarrassed, I didn’t want anyone to know. I felt weak, vulnerable, like my career was over.”
      You’re not aloneEVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
      It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
      It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
      And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
      Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
      That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
      The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
      Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
      If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

      Pidgeley ended up playing 55 times for Millwall before taking in spells at Carlisle, Woking, Bradford and Exeter.
      He then played for Newport County, Masnfield Town, Leatherhead and Forest Green Rovers.
      And Pidgeley’s final days in football came at Hastings United, Margate and Farnborough.
      The former England U20 goalie called time on his career in 2018.
      But his anxiety attacks still hadn’t gone away.
      Pidgeley added: “I was part-time by then and I hadn’t been at work because I wasn’t feeling well. On the morning of the game I was having anxiety and panic attacks. 
      “I called the manager and said I couldn’t play, but he said ‘you have to’. They didn’t have a goalkeeper.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I told him I was quitting football, that I had depression and it wasn’t good for my mental health. Straight away after the game, they just put it out there that I’d retired because of depression. 
      “They ended up deleting it after I spoke to them. I couldn’t believe it, it was a disgrace. I’d kept it quiet for 10 or 15 years.” More

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      in Soccer

      We must do anything to keep racist ‘fans’ out of grounds but I have serious doubts about Infantino’s plan

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      SERIOUS action must be taken against deluded football match attenders who attack players with racial slurs.Supporters? These individuals are not  supporting anything.They are sad, sick people and we must do anything necessary to keep them out of our stadiums.
      Gianni Infantino’s plan is ‘maybe not a sledgehammer but a poisonous substance’Credit: Reuters
      AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan talks to referee Fabio Maresca after facing racial abuse against Udinese last weekendCredit: Reuters
      I would support almost any sanction to prevent it but I do worry the about the method put forward by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who is preparing the ground for deducting points from any club whose fans brandish racial insults.
      Maybe not a sledgehammer this but certainly a poisonous substance. Dabbling with reducing points is dangerous.
      Nottingham Forest and Everton (again) are faced with similar actions and Manchester City might too to if, finally, the authorities budge themselves to move on what is said to be more than 100 cases of mysterious something-or-other offences.
      Points deductions strike at the very structure of our football.To cut them from clubs for other reasons bar putting the ball into the net is to hack down the goalposts and replace them with administrators.
      READ MORE TOP STORIES
      As a country, Britain has made substantial progress in equality for all races and sexes.
      But still all manner of vile racial behaviour continues to exist.
      Take the case of a guy, having watched viewed three of England’s black players miss shootout penalties in the Euro final in 2021, he then sent them despicable racial abuse on his Facebook account.
      He got a suspended sentence and had to pay £100 compensation — preposterous bearing in mind his crime would have had a massive impact on the trio representing their country in front of the world and their mental health.
      Most read in Football
      Think, too, of Nazi signals from the  terraces or cheers that follow racial taunts. It is a little surprising that no player has followed the examples of ‘coming-among-you byin your face’ Eric Cantona and Eric Dier.
      Clubs have worked hard to eliminate thugs and racists from our grounds.
      There isn’t one who would disagree with taking strong action and we are all ready with stewards, stand-by police, expulsions, education programmes and bans.
      But Infantino should do a white-shoe shuffle and try to reach a  different conclusion.
      Mine would be, with the greatest regret, to order stadium closure in the event of blatant racism.
      It might be surprising no-one has followed Eric Dier’s example
      Udinese in Serie A are an example. They just banned four fans for life and must play a match behind closed doors after racial abuse was directed at AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan last weekend.
      Closed doors are shameful to supporters, rightly, and for the club concerned it costs millions in gate, hospitality and catering revenue — let alone the millions likely to be lost from sponsors.
      A far better way to encourage supporters to police each other and clubs to take more action to eliminate the filth in the first place.
      Football’s a huge force in many people’s lives, reaching across all backgrounds, all ages and all sectors of life.
      It is a game supported by billions, played by millions and, nationally, contributes £7.6BILLION to the wider UK economy,  creating more than 94,000 jobs.
      Supporters can hiss and boo all they like. Even name-calling is sufferable as long as it isn’t personalised or filthy.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      We love football because it’s “the beautiful game” which may be a cliche but sums up the fundamental love that spread from our shores to the rest of the planet.
      Like race, sex, and religion, colour mustn’t matter and racism has no place in the game. All players are professionals who deserve our respect. More

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      in Motorsport

      Michael Schumacher health update as F1 boss says stricken legend is ‘receiving best medical treatment in human history’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher is receiving the best medical treatment in human history, ex-Mercedes boss Nick Fry has said.The F1 legend’s condition has been kept under lock and key over the last decade, leaving fans and motorsport enthusiasts wondering about his health.
      Nick Fry, pictured left, said ‘no human being in history has had the treatment Michael Schumacher has’Credit: Alamy
      The Ex-Mercedes boss hopes the stricken F1 legend has a good quality of lifeCredit: Getty
      Fry said he wouldn’t be surprised if Schuey does sit at dinner table after reports were shared by Michael’s retired pal, Johnny Herbert.
      He backed his certainty by saying no human in history has had better medical treatment like the stricken driver.
      “I haven’t heard anything about Michael Schumacher’s condition, so I’m unable to confirm or deny any of the recent reports about him,” Fry told Online Betting Guide.
      “Michael has the best medical team in the world, and I’m 100% sure that no human being in history has had the treatment Michael has had for his specific injury. The family has the resources. 
      Read more on Schumacher
      He continued: “I hope and pray that they’re making progress with him. If the reports about him at the dinner table or in a car are true, then it wouldn’t surprise me at all because I’d imagine that’s the type of thing you’d do to get the brain going again.
      “The only thing I hope for is for Michael’s quality of life to be good.
      “My mother has dementia, so I know what it’s like when someone is alive but not conscious of the world around them.”
      Fry added that if Schumacher makes progress, he will be a role model for people with brain injuries.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “Humans are remarkable, and it’s not impossible to hope for things to get back to as close to normal,” he said.
      “I’m sure we’ll hear at some stage and if the medical team have learned something about how to treat people with these sorts of injuries then that will be Michael’s greatest contribution.”
      Despite having a rocky start with Schumacher at Mercedes, the Brit boss said everything changed once they got to know one another.
      “I’d say my experience of working with Michael Schumacher was complicated,” he said.
      “Being a good Brit, I’d never have Michael high on my list of most-loved people as he was the dastardly German who did rotten things to good, honest Brits and others!
      Fry then admitted: “I wasn’t an immediate fan of Schumacher but I had massive respect for what he had accomplished. I hate to say it, but when you meet Michael, you realise how special he is very quickly.
      “The difference was the level of teamwork. Michael really appreciated that everybody in the team needed to contribute if he was going to be successful.”
      December 29 marked a full decade since Michael fell and struck a rock so hard it split his ski helmet in two – leaving him in a coma for 250 days.
      Schuey has since been living alongside his wife Corinna at their Lake Geneva home under the care of a team of 15 doctors.
      Only a few people have been lucky enough to visit the seven-time world champion since his fateful ski accident in Meribel, France.
      That includes Schuey’s ex sister-in-law, who was kicked out of I’m A Celebrity amid fears she would reveal secrets about the F1 legend’s health.
      Cora Schumacher, 47, was married to Michael’s brother Ralf for almost 15 years and was dumped from the German spin-off reality show after only three days in the jungle.
      TV bosses were concerned that the OnlyFans model was too chatty and might reveal the guarded secrets about the stricken driver during a live show, German media reported.
      Any indiscretion would violate an implicit ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between broadcaster RTL and the racing driver’s family not to pry into the driving champion’s personal life, BILD reports.
      Meanwhile, Schumacher’s ex-Ferrari rival Rubens Barrichello revealed the time he was denied a visit to the F1 legend after his fateful accident.
      Speaking to Flow Podcast in his native Brazil, Barrichello said he tried visiting his former teammate after his accident, but was declined after getting a call from Schuey’s team.
      “With Schumacher, I called once and said I wanted to visit him,” he revealed.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “They told me that unfortunately I wouldn’t be helping and that I might be sad.
      “So I understood that at that moment it was not the time to enter [his life]. More

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      in Soccer

      I won the Euros with Man Utd hero but then suffered depression before finding spiritual guru

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      NEVER mind a game of two halves, for 60-year-old former Denmark striker Lars Elstrup it’s been a life of two halves.For the first 30 years his passion was playing football and living out his dream by becoming a professional.
      Lars Elstrup for Denmark in the 1992 EurosCredit: Rex
      Elstrup believes he reached his utopia by helping his country win Euro 92, playing a major part by scoring the decisive goal in their 2-1   victory over France — their must-win final group game.
      But after quitting the game aged just 30, the last three decades have seen him battling depression and subsequently being diagnosed as bipolar.
      But through the darkness he has discovered spirituality and is smiling again thanks to his Indian guru, His Holiness Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji.
      Elstrup said: “It’s true that since retiring from football I’ve been looking for this place in my mind where I am without anxiety and fear.
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      “I believe I have now found it with my Indian guru. I stopped playing when I was 30. I was worn out, my body and mind was damaged.
      “What I have learned in the last 30 years is to look elsewhere to find myself again.
      “My Indian guru has a higher consciousness and helps me escape from a busy world. Somewhere I can enjoy a happy and joyful life.
      “When I quit football I looked at all different ways of getting my mental strength in a spiritual  world with exercise from yoga and meditation.
      Most read in Football
      “I keep my body and mind right. My last depression ended on  January 1, 2022.”
      As kids growing up, Elstrup and his older brother, Peter, would be forever playing football.
      Elstrup followed his sibling from their local team Randers Freja to Brondby, before being quickly  spotted by Dutch club Feyenoord.
      He spent two seasons at the Dutch club before moving back home to Odense, where he scored 17 goals in 28 league games in the 1988-89  season.
      His impressive scoring abilities caught the attention of Ray Harford at Luton, who were in England’s top flight the old Division One back then, and they signed him for £850,000 in 1989.
      Elstrup said: “When I joined Luton it was for a club-record fee.
      Elstrup playing for Luton against Crystal Palace in 1990Credit: Rex
      “When I look back to my time at Luton, I cannot convey my thanks to the players and management enough.
      “It took me ten games before I scored my first goal at Millwall but the camaraderie and team spirit and help they gave me was unbelievable.
      “I knew very little about the Hatters when I joined, apart from the fact they won the Littlewoods Cup in 1988.
      “The club was in transformation with players when I joined.
      “We had to win the last game of the season at Derby to stay up, which we did.
      “The following season, I scored 19 goals — 15 in the league, including three hat-tricks — the highest  number of goals in a single season by a Danish player in the English top flight, a record that still stands to this day.
      “In an identical twist, we also had to beat Derby to stay up at home that season. It was my last game for the club at Kenilworth Road.
      The Dane retired from football at 30Credit: Alamy
      “I scored the second goal to win the match. I left at the end of the 1990-91 season.
      “I was homesick and wanted to go back to Odense in 1991, which I did.”
      But Elstrup was about to experience a footballing fairytale as Denmark were given a late call-up to Euro 92 in Sweden.
      He said: “I was on holiday, staying at my parents’ summer house.
      “It was two or three days before the Euros when I was contacted and asked to be part of the squad.
      “Yugoslavia had qualified ahead of us but a civil war had caused them to pull out of the tournament. We had to beat France in our final group game.
      “They were unbeaten in 22 games. I came on in the 68th minute and scored the winner ten minutes later. We qualified to the semi-finals. It was quite unbelievable.
      ‘It was very emotional for me’
      “Peter Schmeichel then saved a penalty from Marco van Basten in the semi-final shootout with Holland.
      “I converted one of the penalties and we beat Germany in the final. It was an absolute fairytale.
      “The day after we went to Denmark to an unbelievable reception.”
      On  April 24, last year, the former Hatters favourite made a surprise appearance at Kenilworth Road for the first time in 32 years.
      Elstrup was the Hatters’ guest  of honour for their 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.
      He added: “It was very emotional for me — to be welcomed back with such warmth by the management and fans.
      “I was met in reception with great smiles and chief executive Gary Sweet cancelled a meeting to  see me.
      “I had never met him before. I wanted to shake his hand but he said, ‘Come here, Lars, that is not enough’ and gave me a big hug. I felt very humbled.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “Being back at Kenilworth Road brought back so many fond memories.”

       The Unhappy Hero is published by Pitch, priced £25. More

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      in Motorsport

      Ex-wife of Schumacher’s brother is KICKED OFF I’m A Celeb over fears she would reveal stricken Michael’s secrets

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      THE ex-wife of Michael Schumacher’s brother has been kicked out of I’m A Celebrity over fears she would reveal secrets about the F1 legend’s health.Cora Schumacher, 47, was married to Michael’s brother Ralf for almost 15 years and was dumped from the German spin-off reality show after only three days in the jungle.
      Cora Schumacher, ex-wife of Schumacher’s brother, was booted out of the German version of I’m A CelebrityCredit: RTL
      Cora was married to Ralf Schumacher, pictured right, for almost 15 yearsCredit: EPA
      TV bosses at RTL were reportedly worried Cora would reveal secrets about Michael’s health conditionCredit: PA:Press Association
      TV bosses were concerned that the OnlyFans model was too chatty and might reveal the guarded secrets about the stricken driver during a live show, German media reported.
      Any indiscretion would violate an implicit ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between broadcaster RTL and the racing driver’s family not to pry into the driving champion’s personal life, BILD reports.
      Cora was close with Michael and his wife Corinna throughout her marriage to Ralf.
      The two women are said to still have a “respectful but not close” relationship with one another.
      Read more on Schumacher
      Ralf congratulated his ex-wife on joining Ich Bin Ein Star and revealed that they had often discussed her role on the reality TV show.
      He told BILD that the pair was on good terms and that he did not think she would make any revelations.
      “I think that she wants to find her own topic with the jungle camp and won’t, for example, take up our shared past. After all, it was all a long time ago,” he told the German news outlet. 
      Ich Bin Ein Star – the German version of I’m A Celeb – announced Cora’s exit on social media.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Producers informed that she had said the phrase to “get out of the jungle” shortly before the third live episode.
      An official statement read: “Cora suffers from a severe cough and decides that she no longer feels healthily fit for the jungle adventure. We wish her all the best!”
      Cora is said to suffer from long Covid, and was struggling to breathe due to the smoke coming off of the campfire.
      The 47-year-old, who is also a racing driver herself, sobbed as she explained her reason for leaving, saying:”‘I want to go home. I cannot stand this anymore. 
      “I can’t do this anymore with the smoke, everything is burning. I can not anymore. I want to get out of here now. Now, now, now!”
      It comes after Schumacher could be set to attend his daughter’s wedding after spending the last 10 years hidden from the public.
      The location of the wedding has finally been revealed as fans of the former F1 legend eagerly wait to see if he will turn up.
      December 29 marked a full decade since the seven-time world champion crashed while skiing in Meribel, France, later staying 250 days in a medically-induced coma.
      Since 2013, his wife Corinna has been creating a private world around Michael as he continues his recovery – including forming a tight knit group of people allowed to see the great man and those who can’t.
      Corinna has cut out certain people for a plethora or reasons including keeping the families privacy a priority and for the sake of Schuey.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Michael’s wife – who he described as his “guardian angel” – has done her best to keep their life private including reportedly slimming down his £500m business empire and selling prized assets such as his private jet and Norwegian home.
      She has even converted part of their £50million home into a hospital where 15 doctors and a team of masseurs give him 24-hour care and the surrounding forest and security fences kept him away from anyone not welcome.
      Cora and Michael’s wife Corinna (left) are said to are said to still have a ‘respectful but not close’ relationshipCredit: AFP
      The OnlyFans model pictured at Frankfurt Airport before heading to Australia , only to quit three live episodes inCredit: Getty
      Cora and Ralf Schumacher on their wedding dayCredit: AP:Associated Press More

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      in Soccer

      Harry Kane reveals how friends and family got him through ‘challenging times’ as he opens up on his mental health

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      HARRY KANE has revealed that the “great support” of his loved ones got him through “challenging times”.The England captain, 30, has his own foundation which promotes positive mental health.
      Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich last summerCredit: Rex
      Kane has participated in a film that will be shown to British schoolkids later this week, urging them to talk about their feelings.
      As part of the film, which is set to be shown on Thursday, Kane said, as per the Mirror: “I’ve had many challenging times throughout my life and my career.
      “Connecting and talking to my friends, family and teammates is key for me.”
      Kane then added: “Life is full of experiences that sometimes we don’t have control over.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      “As we go through tough times we learn more about ourselves and build resilience. But most often we can’t do this alone and need the support of others.”
      Kane receives great support from parents Kim and Pat, as well as brother Charlie and wife Kate.
      On receiving help from his family, the Bayern Munich forward added: “If there was anything bothering me or I had on my mind, I always went to them to talk to and they were always there to support.”
      The former Tottenham star believes that mental health is just as important as physical fitness in helping him to achieve his goals on the pitch.
      Most read in Football
      He continued: “I’m supporting Here4You because I want you to know it’s okay to ask for help.
      “I think the most important thing was to stay focused and show resilience and work hard.
      “As a footballer, I need to prioritise my physical fitness, but it’s just as important to keep my mind fit, too.
      “I think exercise is really important. I feel that puts you in a good mindset.
      “Also, just talking. Talking about how you are feeling, whether it’s good or bad, whether it’s friends, family or support networks, what it may be.
      “I think just getting stuff off your chest and talking is really important.” More

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      in Boxing

      I was a party girl who snorted cocaine and ketamine… but now I’m sober thanks to boxing, Elle Brooke bravely reveals

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      ELLE BROOKE has bravely revealed how a party lifestyle drove her to drugs and depression – but now she is fighting fit through sobriety. The OnlyFans star is 3-1 as a boxer since making her debut in July 2022 against Love Islander AJ Bunker.
      Elle Brooke has gone sober after battling drug abuse and depressionCredit: instagram @thedumbledong
      Brooke admits she was a formerly a ‘party girl’Credit: instagram @thedumbledong
      The OnlyFans star turned her life around through boxingCredit: PA
      And the two prepare to rematch at Misfits 12 in Leeds on Saturday.
      Much has changed since their first fight but nothing more so than Brooke’s lifestyle out of the ring.
      She told SunSport: “I’ve said this before but I was a party girl.
      “I was a really bad party girl, any substance I could find I was putting up my nose, I was taking it to the max.
      READ MORE ON ELLE BROOKE
      “Whereas now, I don’t drink, I’ve had 18 months sober, or a year, and now I just live a boring life.
      “I don’t go out on the weekends because I’m too focused on my eating and my training habits.
      “My circle has got a lot smaller, I don’t see as many people as I did once before because I’m just not in that lifestyle of partying and going out anymore.
      “So my life has got so boring, I’m married to my house. I’m honestly in these four walls constantly, it’s work, work, work for me.”
      Most read in Boxing
      Brooke admits to suffering from depression before boxing helped turn herself around.
      “It’s two polar opposites really,” she says when comparing her past and current life.
      “From going out every week to the pub, going clubbing, sniffing tons of cocaine, ketamine, anything you can find to the other side, watching what you put in your body, dieting, health and exercise, regular routine.
      “Routine is my favourite things about boxing because it gives me a reason to wake up in the morning. It gives me structure for the day.
      “I think I would 100 per cent be living the same lifestyle. Maybe not as crazy because I’ve aged 18 months, I’m not in my early 20s anymore.
      I was a really bad party girl, any substance I could find I was putting up my nose, I was taking it to the max… Whereas now, I don’t drink, I’ve had 18 months sober, or a year, and now I just live a boring life.Elle Brooke
      “But 100 per cent I’d still be going out, to Ibiza and stuff like that. I’ve had to cancel so many holidays and that kind of thing. It’s been a complete 180 really.
      “I was at one point on antidepressants, taking sertraline before I started boxing.
      “So I was relying on a pill everyday to make me happy and so I didn’t have like dark, suicidal thoughts whereas now I have those good days and I have those bad days but it’s more about training and what I’m focusing on.
      “So boxing really has changed my life. From being depressed and – I wouldn’t say a drug addict because I wasn’t a drug addict – but a party animal, to where I am now, it’s been a journey.”
      Brooke, 26, has rivalled Bunker, 31, ever since her original win nearly two years ago with the bad blood brewing.
      She said: “We know of each other now. When we first fought it was just someone else in the influencer scene to take on that fight.
      “Whereas now she’s champ, I’ve already beat her and it’s her opportunity for redemption, my opportunity to win the belt and that’s the story.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “We also aren’t that fond of each other, so it’s got great ingredients for a good fight.”

      You can watch Elle Brooke vs AJ Bunker, and the rest of the X Series 012 card in Leeds, live on DAZN on Saturday, January 20.  Tickets are available at www.MisfitsBoxing.com

      Elle Brooke has gone sober through boxingCredit: Instagram / @thedumbledong
      The influencer is 3-1 as a boxerCredit: Rex
      Elle Brooke and AJ Bunker have rivalled ahead of their rematchCredit: DAZN More