British champion Bilal Fawaz is still unable to obtain a passport, even after his knockout victory against Eithan James to defend his British title. The 38-year-old was trafficked to London at age 14 and, after a difficult childhood, has built his life in the country. Despite that, he cannot get a passport that would allow him to travel the world and fight for world titles, restricting him to fights around England and Great Britain.
Title defence in Birmingham
Fawaz was in action in Birmingham on Saturday night as he defended his Super-Welterweight title with a knockout victory. Speaking to the Corner Talk podcast, Fawaz said: “I can’t travel so it’s best that I navigate the whole country and conquer it city by city.
“Eddie knows what he’s doing when we go to Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Birmingham. I am not afraid to fight anyone so I don’t care if I go to someone’s backyard.
Eddie Hearn's knockout incentive
“Get me in a ring and you will see, I don’t why people are afraid of fighting people on the road.”
He also revealed how an extra incentive from Eddie Hearn spurred him to complete the knockout. Although he did help his opponent up from off the deck after the knockout blow.
“Eddie came into the dressing room and said he would give me a £5,000 incentive to knock him out,” Fawaz revealed. “I wouldn’t have chased a knockout, I prefer to pick my punches but five grand is a big deal for me so I would take that any day.
Kind spirit in the ring
“I am not just a boxer, people say I have a kind spirit and I am a positive thinker. I don’t like to punch people and beat them up, that’s violence.
“I don’t want to hurt people but if I have to feed myself by hurting people, professionally, then I will do it. I saw him hurt, his eyes rolling backwards, so I had to help him – even though he had hit me in the balls twice!”
