Cage fight night out is just the ticket for Mark (From This Is Lancashire)

Cage fight night out is just the ticket for Mark

1:20pm Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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MARK Stevens thought a couple of tickets for a cage-fighting show would be the ideal joint birthday/ Mother’s Day present for his fiancée, Shelley Toner.

But when he got round to booking the special date, he discovered a gap on the fight programme — and decided to enter himself, even though he has never been in a ring, let alone a cage.

So tomorrow, when the fight show takes place at Bolton’s Ikon nightclub, Shelley, who celebrates her 28th birthday today, will be among the spectators while Mark steps into the cage to put his 39-year-old body on the line.

“She’s not overly happy about it,” he admitted, “I’m quite old to be taking up the fight game and it’s been a massive commitment with the training I’ve had to do.

“But she’s supporting me all the way.”

Mark, who originates from Gloucester and played on the wing for a variety of rugby union clubs, admitted: “I’m apprehensive because I’ve never done anything like this before.

“But I like setting myself targets and proving things to myself. So, when I saw that this guy had no one to fight, I thought I’d have a go. I can’t believe how easy it was to get into a fight.”

Mark, who lives in Ellesmere Road, Bolton, and is a highways maintenance worker for Salford City Council, has only had five weeks to train for his fight debut.

He admits he will have his work cut out against his more experienced opponent, Lee Whitehead, of the Fight Factory, Salford. But he has been working out twice a day under the direction of Trevor Roberts and is confident he will not be found wanting for fitness when the bell sounds tomorrow. He represents the Applied Combat club at the 16-bout Ikon show, which features amateurs, semi-professionals and professional cage-fighters.

“I played rugby on the wing in Gloucester and played for Bolton when I first came up here,” said the 5ft 9ins fight rookie, who weighs in at 13 stones.

“I gave up rugby because of injuries and home commitments when our son was born — he’s three-and-a-half now.

“I’ve done some gym work but I’ve never been as fit as I am now. I’ve lost more than a stone over the last five weeks and I’m in great condition.”

Doors open at Ikon at 3pm tomorrow and the action starts at 4pm.

Shelley said: “He phoned for the tickets then came back to me and said ‘I've got some news for you, I’m going to be fighting’. At first I didn’t believe him. I wasn’t pleased but I have to be supportive.

“I’m scared and I’ll be closing my eyes but he has promised he will take me out next weekend.”