Boxing Apr 30, 2026

Arjon Basi has faced death and overcome grief to pursue his boxing dream with his next fight on Sunday's Olympia card

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Arjon Basi has faced death and overcome grief to pursue his boxing dream with his next fight on Sunday's Olympia card

Arjon Basi, still only new to professional boxing, is a ticket-seller who brings loud, raucous support. But just before his fight on Sunday night he will look out to an empty seat.

He always leaves a chair unoccupied in memory of his father.

When Basi was just a teenager, his father suffered a sudden heart attack and died.

"My dad was my hero. Definitely was a big influence on me," Basi told Your Site. "It was really pushing to have someone that you knew was so supportive of you. A good father is the only person in the world that wants you to do better than them.

"Even now, I'm getting goosebumps when I'm talking about him. I always leave an empty chair when I fight, for my father."

He explained: "Whenever I used to fight I'd get in the ring and the first thing I'd do I'd look out to my dad. I'd always look out and he'd give me the nod and I'd be like, 'now it's time to go'. Now I sort of look out and I look at the seat and I nod at the seat because … he's there, I know he's there."

Basi, 25, was enjoying a promising amateur career when his father died. He almost lost his way with the sport.

"That following year, two years was a really, really strong mental battle, really found it tough," he said. "My dad was a huge part of my boxing journey.

"I remember some of the conversations we had back in the day and it lights that fire again.

"It's a big factor for me."

He still had hurdles to overcome. He damaged tendons in his right wrist, and then torn ligaments in his left wrist threatened to end his boxing career.

"They did MRIs, they did every scan and said, 'look you're going to struggle to pick your kids up when you're older, you should never box again'. Really harsh things, they're not things I want to be hearing," Basi recalled.

"I felt like my whole world came crashing down on me. Boxing's not just a hobby, it's my life.

"When they told me you won't be able to do it ever again I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear or two. It was a very tough time."

Somehow Basi did make it back. "I really persevered," he said. "Got told randomly, 'it's a miracle, it shouldn't have healed the way it has, you're good to go back'."

But afterwards he could have lost more than his boxing career. "I was getting really dizzy randomly and I was really out of breath," he explained. "I had a blood clot in my lung.

"They told me look you've got a pulmonary embolism. It's genuinely life threatening.

"If I had tried to leave it for another couple of days, the conversation could have been very, very different, if any conversation at all. It was a very risky situation I was in."

That was the moment he almost gave in. "I sort of looked up at the sky and thought is it a sign for me to stop. Is something pulling me away?"

He did not however despair. He pressed on. "I just kept my mind strong and had to push through."

Basi recovered his health and is now two fights into his professional career. He will box in a preliminary bout at Olympia in Kensington before the televised portion of the card.

He is continuing to enjoy the journey, especially with that tremendous support behind him.

"Boxing ran in my family blood, everyone in my family boxed," he said. "Honestly it [his support] is manic. If you heard York Hall on my debut, I swear it erupted. It was crazy.

"I've walked out, I've just heard this roar, then next thing I know I was smiling, laughing…"

Watch Dubois vs Harper and Scotney vs Flores live on Your Site from 7pm on Sunday.

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Dalton Smith ruled out of WBC super-lightweight title defence against Alberto Puello after suffering injury in training camp

Dalton Smith ruled out of WBC super-lightweight title defence against Alberto Puello after suffering injury in training camp

Dalton Smith has been ruled out of his WBC super-lightweight title defence against Alberto Puello after he sustained an injury in camp.The fight was s...

Tiara Brown and Oshae Jones to make world title defences against Hannah Rapp and Elia Carranza on June 13 MVP bill

Tiara Brown and Oshae Jones to make world title defences against Hannah Rapp and Elia Carranza on June 13 MVP bill

Tiara Brown and Oshae Jones will put their world championships on the line against Hannah Rapp and Elia Carranza on June 13 at Caribe Royale Resort in...

Chris Billam-Smith to fight Ryan Rozicki live on Sky Sports on June 6 in Bournemouth on Zuffa Boxing's first UK card

Chris Billam-Smith to fight Ryan Rozicki live on Sky Sports on June 6 in Bournemouth on Zuffa Boxing's first UK card

Chris Billam-Smith returns to Bournemouth on June 6 to fight Ryan Rozicki, live on Your Site.It will be the first British event for new promotional po...

Fabio Wardley urges Daniel Dubois to 'get stuck straight into a firefight' in their WBO heavyweight world title clash

Fabio Wardley urges Daniel Dubois to 'get stuck straight into a firefight' in their WBO heavyweight world title clash

Fabio Wardley has called for Daniel Dubois to make it “a firefight” straightaway when they box for his WBO heavyweight world title next month.Wardley...

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: When are they fighting, where are they are fighting and more - what we know so far

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: When are they fighting, where are they are fighting and more - what we know so far

Your Site considers the key questions, what we know so far, and what we don't, now Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua has been set.It. Is. On. At long last....

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury showdown could take place in UK as Eddie Hearn reveals talks enter final stages

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury showdown could take place in UK as Eddie Hearn reveals talks enter final stages

An all‑British heavyweight showdown in the United Kingdom is moving closer to reality, with promoter Eddie Hearn revealing plans are advancing for Ant...