This is Part II of our interview with BKFC lightweight contender and former BKB standout, James “Lights Out” Lilley. James is back in the BKFC ring this Saturday night against Felipe Maia. You can read Part I here.
We asked James about his recent training session with BKB legend Jimmy Sweeney, his boxing match with another legend Barrie Jones, his poetry background and more!
James Lilley Talks Poetry
BKH: James, I got to ask you this. How did you get into poetry and what to you like about it the most?
James: I kind of went on a workshop when I was in primary school. And I kinda caught a bug from it then. I didn’t know a lot about structure. I kind of got a knack for it.
I wrote a poem for one of my teachers. They got it published. And a few things along those lines. It just snowballed.
It’s not something I got into later in life. I’ve always written poetry. I’ve always written stories.
But because of the sport I was involved in. It was such a manly, masculine sport. I thought it was a silly hobby.
A lot of poetry’s like self reflection. I kind of felt like it wasn’t something I could really share. I still get comments now about it, like stupid comments. I kind of felt like poetry’s wasn’t something I could share.
It was only when lockdown happened. The gyms were closed. There was no fights. I really had the time to sit down and rediscover my love for it.
I started writing. I started speaking to people on Twitter about how to get some work published in different magazines and journals. It snowballed.
I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner. We’ve built a really good community down in Port Talbot with the poetry scene.
I got fighter zen poems. I got fighters performing. Yeah, it’s just opened up a whole another world for me, really.
BKH: You’ve actually been published. I didn’t know that.
James: Yeah, I’ve had quite a few poems published in different journals on the internet.
I got my third poetry collection out, “The Warrior Poet”, which is available on Amazon.
So, it’s been a good couple of years.
Sweeney
Last week, you posted a photo on your Instagram of you and the legendary “Celtic Warrior” Jimmy Sweeney.
Did you go to Ireland? Did he come to Wales and you did some training together?
James: Well, no. He’s based up in Leeds at the moment.
With my job, I work all over the UK. And because of the situation we’re in at the moment, with the different organisations I’ve been a part of, I’ve got this good network of people I consider friends. Legends like Jimmy.
I just dropped him a text. It was great to do some rounds with one of the legends of bare knuckle. Probably one of the pioneers in the UK of bare knuckle.
So yeah, it just so happened I was up there. The week before, I did some rounds with Scott McHugh (BYB super welterweight contender and former BKB star).
It’s one of the benefits of my job. When I’m on the road, I get these different sparring partners that I wouldn’t normally get in Wales. Wales is a little far for anyone to come. I wouldn’t normally travel to Leeds or Newcastle. But having the job where I’m moving around, it’s great you know?
BKH: Yeah, so that’s the first time you sparred and trained with Jimmy?
James: Yeah, I’ve known Jimmy since obviously I was with the same company, BKB.
We’ve always kept in touch. He’s always been a gentleman to me. I’ve been a gentleman to him. And it just so happened we were in the same area, and managed to get some rounds in. So, it was great.
Boxing Against Barrie Jones
BKH: A fun fact about James Lilley is you and Barrie Jones (former BKB champion) had a boxing match way back about 2015.
James: Yeah, that’s right. For the Welsh title…
BKH: What was it like facing Barrie in boxing? Did you think he’d be a monster in bare knuckle?
James: He boxed very different when I boxed him in pro boxing. He’s quite rangy, very awkward.
But in bare knuckle, he’s just walked through people. He’s like a different style of fighter. He’s done really well. Really happy for him.
It’s really awkward fighting him. He’s got long arms, he’s rangy. He can bang a bit.
Like I said, he’s done really well in bare knuckle. I think he had too much time out for the last fight, fighting in that small ring (Jones suffered his first bare knuckle loss to LT Nelson at BYB 30 Cardiff Brawl in August).
He made his mark in bare knuckle so fair play to him.
Bare Knuckle in Wales
BKH: The Welsh scene seems like it’s coming up. They got some local shows and BYB is starting to do events there.
Do you see the Welsh scene growing? How do you look at it?
James: I think the future’s bright for the Welsh scene, to be completely honest with you.
I think Wales itself, probably because we’re a little further west than England, don’t get the props we deserve.
We’re quality operators. We’ve had fighters fighting in the top of the UFC, world champion boxers, some of the guys competing in the Olympics. We’re not that far behind the other countries, and like I said I think the future’s bright.
It’s going to be big, not just in the UK but in Wales very soon.
I think we have untapped resources down here. It’s a great nation for sports and fighting.
Training for Bare Knuckle vs Boxing or MMA
You fought in pro boxing, professional MMA, and bare knuckle. Bare knuckle and boxing is different, obviously and MMA is something totally different from the other ones.
In terms of preparing for fights, how do you compare the 3? Is the MMA training more demanding because of the takedowns and grappling and the kickboxing?
James: Yeah, I think MMA is much more demanding if you want to fight at a high level.
Because you got to do so many different things. You got to learn to do wrestling, jiu jitsu, striking. Strength conditioning.
You’ve got to try and cram all that into a 6 day week.
Boxing-it’s not easy to do. With boxing, it’s easier to schedule. You can do boxing in the evening with S & C.
With MMA, I feel you got to be so good and well rounded at different things. It’s hard to put yourself through. It’s a lot more demanding in that respect.
With bare knuckle, is it very similar to boxing? With the bagwork and everything, you have to protect your hands obviously.
James: Yeah, I pretty much wear 16-ounce gloves all the way through camp.
I do have a little makawara board to toughen my knuckles on. I don’t do much with it because you gotta protect your hands, you know?
The training is pretty much the same. I do do a bit of clinchwork with some of the MMA guys. There is some slight differences in the way I spar. Because with bare knuckles, you can’t hide behind the gloves.
But it’s very similar to a boxing camp except that I add in clinchwork with some of the MMA guys in sparring.
The clinch rule with bare knuckle is one hand…with Thai boxing it’s two hands…
James: I think it’s great. It adds a nice little element so it’s not just boxing with gloves on, you know?
Parting Words
BKH: Is there anything else you’d like to say or anybody you’d like to thank?
James: I probably don’t give them enough praise. My team James Wallis,Josh Kaighin, Dai Owen. They’re the guys who get me ready for the fight. They’re the main three. They’ve been great getting me in shape again. I really appreciate them and I don’t think your corner team gets enough praise.
