Six months ago, Josh Kelly's career lay in tatters as he drank and ate his way towards early retirement. But now his road to redemption is complete, the Sunderland boxer is targeting gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this summer.
Kelly was tipped for stardom when he claimed bronze at the inaugural European Games last year and reached the last-eight of the World Championships a few months later.
But in January an injury halted the welterweight’s momentum and his career spiralled out of control – drinking and eating to excess seeing him pile on the pounds as his motivation sank. His boxing career seemed over.
He says he put on almost two stone and started to develop a double chin, while he socialised every night with friends in pubs.
But Kelly bored of everyday life, got back in the gym, dropped the weight and, last month, booked his ticket to Rio as the 12th and final member of Team GB’s boxing squad.
“I have not come down [from sealing his Rio place] yet. Some of the lads qualified really early but my circumstances were a little bit different. It has all been one big rollercoaster,” he said.
“I did not want to box and I wanted a normal life. For some reason, everything got on top of me. I was supposed to qualify after the European Games last year and I didn’t really perform.
“So I sat there and thought ‘I don’t want to be doing this’. I wanted a normal life, I wanted to be different.
“It looks like the grass is greener on the other side when you see your mates going out but that is not always the case.
“At first, people think you’re living the highlife but once you’ve been out every night for a couple of months you become one of the lads and you blend in.
“On my part, it wasn’t really for me and I knew I had to turn my life around, so I did it and I’m glad I did.”
Kelly reached the semi-finals of the World Olympic Qualifier in Baku last month, clinching a bronze medal and an -69kg spot in Rio.
A medal is now the target and you are unlikely to find a competitor as determined as the 22-year-old – who is on cloud nine after his remarkable transformation.
“I am buzzing. I just qualified last month so I haven’t had a dip or anything, I have a week off and then I’m straight back into it,” he said.
“I didn’t think I could qualify. Back in the winter my coaches didn’t believe in me and I didn’t believe in me.
“I said ‘I’ll come back and give it my best shot’ and I thought I’d come away thinking at least I tried.
“I have had a lot thrown at me in life generally, let alone in boxing, so it has been a rollercoaster ride all the way. And I think it has set me in good stead for the future in all walks of life.
“I have gained a lot of life experience. I have had some of the worst lows in January and February. I didn’t think I could do it, but to have qualified shows how you can change your life around with hard work.
“I don’t want to go back to that now. I had a taste of the good life and you think it’s better, but it’s not. It’s just not.” By Charlie Bennett
Sportsbeat 2016