A former doorman says he wants to become a champion in slap fighting as he prepares to take part in his first professional bout.
Ryan Cooper will be competing in the heavyweight division at Britslap 8 in Liverpool on Saturday against opponent Xavier Burchkard.
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He got the itch to compete after he started watching the sport, applying to take part in Britslap, the UK’s professional slap fighting organisation.
The father-of-two from Bradley, Staffordshire, said he was a big boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) fan but admitted he was not fit enough to compete in either of those disciplines.
In slap fighting, participants test their power and endurance by delivering – and taking – forceful, open-handed slaps to the face.
Doctors and scientists have previously raised concerns over its potential to cause serious brain damage.
Cooper described it as “two lads who sign a contract to slap each other willingly”, and said it was “a bit daunting”.
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“Being slapped is rough, it’s bad. You’re willingly letting someone your size give you a full-on whack in the face,” the 33-year-old added.
Taking turns, competitors slap each other in the face over three rounds, scored by judges.
Bouts end early if one of the fighters is knocked down and cannot continue, or if a contest is called off for safety reasons.
‘Ready to go’
Cooper said he was being coached by a former champion in the sport, with much of the training focusing on his neck and jaw muscles.
He has been training a few times a week at the gym, spending his time perfecting his slap technique along with his defence and “brace” position.
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“I think 70% of this sport is about having a good brace and a good defence,” he said. “If you’ve got no defence, no brace and you just stand there with your chin out, you’re going to get hurt.
“My idea is to get my slap down perfect, then the defence will come alongside it.”
He said he was not nervous for the contest and knew he could win if he followed his coach’s advice, adding: “I know what I’m capable of and I’ve put the work in.”
Cooper said he was “100% ready to go”, and spoke of his determination to become a British and world champion in the future.
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“Nothing bothers me at all,” he added. “I’ve done the preparation and now it’s time to enjoy the win – that’s what it’s going to be.”
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