'I'm the underdog': Kirkcaldy fight legend Stevie Ray works with Latvian coach ahead of bare knuckle fight debut
Preparations by Kirkcaldy’s Stevie Ray for his comeback bout against England’s Danny Christie in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on Saturday, November 7 are being helped by a Latvian professional boxing and combat sports coach.
Former Mixed Martial Arts star Ray, 36, who last fought in a submission MMA victory over Welshman Lewis Long at the same venue two years ago, is being aided by Yuris Varushkin, with sessions taking place at Higher Level MMA in Bathgate and Ray’s own Braveheart MMA Gym in his home town.
Speaking to the Fife Free Press, Ray – who will face Christie in a 79kg contest over five rounds of two minutes in his bare knuckle debut – said: “I’ve been doing a fight camp just the same as all my other camps. But this time it’s just purely a boxing camp.
"I’m feeling good, I’ve been training for a while, just getting used to it.
"I’m feeling really fit and the body’s healthy. I’ve enjoyed the fight camp as well, it’s something a bit different with it just being boxing. So I don’t need to be doing kicks, knees, wrestling or jiu-jitsu. It’s literally just been a boxing camp which I’ve always quite fancied doing.
"Yuris came in and held pads for me a few months ago after texting me to say he was looking for work.
"I just knew the way he was moving that he was good. Sometimes you can just tell.
"He doesn’t train any more – he just coaches – so he does just do the warm-up. When he held pads for me – I’ve been in this game a while now – you could just tell he was good.
"For the past 12 weeks I’ve been working one on one with Yuris on my actual boxing twice a week on a Friday and a Sunday so he’s part of the camp. He’s also been watching me spar in Bathgate and he’ll be in my corner as well for the fight.
"Yuris knows I’ve got bad knees so I can’t move as much on my legs. But I’ve got good hands. I’ve got power in both hands and I’m dangerous, I hit hard, but my opponent knows that as well.
"I’ve watched an interview where he says he knows I’ve got a dangerous left hand.
"But from speaking to the media, the people that follow the bare knuckle fighting, I’ll pretty sure I’ll be the underdog going into this fight. He’s a two-time British champion, he’s had 10 BKFC fights, he’s fought for the world title.
"We’re both similar ages, he’s a bit older than me. He’s got more experience of bare knuckle.
“But I’m planning on stopping him, I’m confident that I can go in and stop him or win the fight or I wouldn’t be taking it.
"It will be a good fight because I know Christie’s tough. He’s from a gypsy traveller kind of background and I know he’ll come and fight.”
Adversary Christie, who is five years Ray’s senior, brawled on the streets of his home town of Carlisle as a youngster, later reportedly being lucky to be alive after being shot on the back and stabbed three times in separate incidents.
The Carlisle native has more recently battled back to sobriety after alcohol issues.
Ray said: “Christie has been quite open about his previous addictions.
"I’m addicted to coffee, I’ll hold my hands up to that, so I’ve been quite fortunate. But I do know other people fairly close to me who have struggled with addictions.”
Perhaps members of the general public don’t appreciate the regular eating treats they take for granted which warriors like Stevie Ray have to sacrifice for several weeks to make the weight limit when preparing for a fight.
Having to achieve the 79kg mark for his upcoming bare knuckle fight, Ray revealed the one meal which he is particularly looking forward to devouring again after the Christie bout is over.
He said: "I can’t wait to eat what I want. I’m at that stage where I can’t wait to eat a pizza!
"I prefer eating a pizza where you don’t feel as if you’re going to spew for the next three days!
"Just after the fight I’ll probably order any sort of pizza in Glasgow so I can eat it straight away.
"But longer term there’s a place in Kinross which is really good called La Casanova who do a really good pizza.”
See https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/360064EB915419D4 to purchase tickets to see Ray fighting Christie in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – at which the main card features the light heavyweight contest between Conor Cooke and Sean Weir.
Tickets on the floor are strictly for over-18s. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult over 18. It’s a maximum of six tickets per person and household.
If Ray beats Christie, the Kirkcaldy ace is tipped to fight bare knuckle again next March, potentially for a British title, with a world title potentially on the table after that.