Boxer Scott Fitzgerald admits to brawling with Traveller as worrying photos emerge

Boxer Scott Fitzgerald has admitted to worried fans to becoming embroiled in a park brawl with a Traveller.

Speculation was rife after photos appeared on social media on Thursday night of an unkempt looking man fast asleep on the pavement outside a pub.

Many Twitter users, and boxing fans, put two and two together and concluded the man was Fitzgerald, 29, due to the man's appearance and apparent location.

The British super-welterweight champion has fought much publicised battles with drug addiction and mental health, and the pictures prompted concerns about his state of well-being.

The boxer has now responded via Facebook, but despite admitting to being in a fight that day, rubbished rumours about his health.

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He wrote: "I mean stop kicking up a fuss guys.

"I had an exhausting day haha no lie I'd had a 10/15 min straightener with an absolute rabbit of a Southpaw Traveller half hour before on Ashton Park.

"I'm sorry to worry my Dad and Mum but that is the only thing I'm sorry for. I took a bloody nap outside my beloved Wheatsheaf. Everything is going to be ok you squirrels."

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Fitzgerald's ambivalence towards fan concern does seem to contrast with what his trainer, Jimmy Moon, told the Lancashire Post on Friday.

"He needs help but he needs to want that help," Moon said.

"We have tried helping him, taking him away, but he has got to want to be helped.

"The main thing for us before he can start training again is that he's got to be clean and living the right lifestyle.

"But it's not happening yet. We just try to keep talking to him and helping him."

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Fitzgerald is currently 15-0 in professional fights and in 2019, enjoyed his career highlight by taking a split decision against fellow Englishman Anthony Fowler.

But he has fought just once in two years, beating Frenchman Gregory Trenel in May, and the images have prompted fellow fighters to call for help for the Preston man.

Former pro-boxer Dale Evans said: "There's not enough support out there for professional fighters when they're in the game and even more so when it's all over. Fitzgerald may not have been a Saint in life-nobody has-but I really hope he gets the help he desperately needs."

Female boxer Ellie Scotney, signed with Matchroom, said: "Really hope someone saves Scott Fitzgerald, the highs of boxing compared to the lows of life. Real sad to see."

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