James Gallagher suffered panic attacks before Bellator 223 win, vows to 'conquer the world'
Rising Irish star James Gallagher lifted the lid on a tumultuous build-up to his Bellator 223 victory over Jeremiah Labiano, revealing he suffered panic attacks during his fight camp.
LONDON – James Gallagher puts forward a facade of bulletproof self-confidence ahead of his fights, but after his Bellator 223 win over Jeremiah Labiano, the always-smiling Irishman revealed to reporters that he had gone through a mental breakdown just two weeks before fight night.
“Two weeks ago, I pulled out,” Gallagher said. “I pulled out of the fight two weeks ago. I texted my coach and said ‘I can’t do it anymore.’ I had a panic attack in the gym. I didn’t want to fight, I was in a bad, bad place. Pulled out of the fight, didn’t want to be there anymore, didn’t want to do it.
“And look. I (expletive) showed up and (expletive) did it. I swear to God, they all hammer on about me and everyone hammers on. There’s none of them have a mindset like me. I pulled out of the fight. I didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to fight, I didn’t even want to train again. I never wanted to fight again in my life. I was in a bad way.”
Gallagher (9-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) said he had to turn to his coaches and teammates to help him through the toughest spell of his young career, and paid tribute to teammate and fellow Bellator athlete Kiefer Moore and coach John Kavanagh for helping him find his mojo again ahead of his bout with Labiano (12-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA).
“If it wasn’t for Kiefer (Moore) and John (Kavanagh) and a few of the boys, … we had private sessions, and I had to be helped out of the gym a few days in a row,” he explained. “It was panic attacks, getting sick, couldn’t control myself, feeling absolutely dire. And now I’m back and I’m winning.
“Say what you want, I am (expletive) proud of myself. And I know everyone’s going to look and go ‘that’s a weak mind, he’s broke.’ I’ve got the strongest (expletive) mindset in this whole (expletive) game, and I’m going straight to the top.”
Gallagher admitted the turmoil leading up to Saturday night’s win over Labiano meant he wasn’t at his best on fight night – “I showed about 25 percent of my full ability” – but said that the victory, taken in context, was absolutely huge for him personally.
“That performance was a low-class performance, nowhere near my best. But from the position I was in two weeks ago to the position I’m in tonight, (expletive) cheers to that!”
Gallagher then smiled broadly and took a celebratory swig from a bottle of Proper No. Twelve whiskey before revealing that he received priceless inspiration from a fellow combat sports athlete prior to the fight.
“There was a Tyson Fury clip I went down and watched, and if I did not see that fight, I wouldn’t be here today,” Gallagher said. “I didn’t perform my best, but I gave it every (expletive) thing I’ve got, and I’m going to conquer the world.”
The next step in Gallagher’s journey looks set to take place on Sept. 27 when the Bellator cage returns to the 3 Arena in Dublin. It’s an event Gallagher says he intends to headline
“One hundred percent,” he stated. “The main event, Sept. 27, ‘The Proper Jimmy Show.’ I’m getting straight back into training, getting my (expletive) together, and I’m going to the top.”
And it seems “The Jimmy Show” is already pulling in the big numbers at the box office, as he revealed his previously stated interest in the upcoming Bellator featherweight tournament was now a thing of the past.
“The featherweight tournament?” he asked. No. I don’t want that. I’m financially better off not (in it), and that’s a million quid on the line.”
For complete coverage of Bellator 223, check out the MMA Events section of the site.