Boxing: War-torn DR Congo, selling water bottles & living in a car – the story of Michael King

King feels it was inevitable he would be drawn towards boxing given the opportunities it offers to the disenfranchised.

“The Congo can be a crazy country,” he says. “A great country but a crazy one, that’s for sure.

“I grew up fast. I had to learn responsibilities and to survive. It was sink or swim and when I say survive, I mean survive.

“The war was awful. But it is always there and becomes normal.”

An estimated five million people have died since 1996 in two civil wars.

King has always worked to help his family, including his mum, Safi – short for Sapphire.

“I want to change my family’s financial situation,” King says.

“Sometimes, we were just eating rice or bread and butter. Being world champion didn’t cross my mind. I just saw an opportunity to bring hope to the people who care about me.

“My dad is proud of what I’ve achieved so far. When he goes back to Congo, he takes pictures of me to show people and tells them about my story.”

Now aged 27, King’s first eight professional outings were all in the UK before a spell competing abroad in Russia.

“I had to go because nobody wanted to face me but I learned a lot,” King says.

“It was taking around 30 hours to get there, taking three different flights, and I’d arrive 48 hours before getting in the ring sometimes. But again, it taught me to always be ready, always in shape and always in top condition.

“I’m looking to kick on now and get some really big fights. Who knows? We might eventually even be able to get one back in Congo, which would be something else.”

King joined Shane McGuigan’s training stable upon his return to England and is now sparring with fighters such as Adam Azim in a gym that also includes world champions Caroline Dubois and Ellie Scotney.

“I came into this for the money but I wasn’t making a penny,” King says.

“I’ll give myself 10 years to try and do something. If it doesn’t happen, at least I know I’ll have given it a shot.”