Transplant boxer 'euphoric' after first pro win

A boxer who was told he would never fight again after developing a life-threatening blood disorder has described feeling "euphoric" after winning his first professional fight.

Reuben Muston, from Reading, is believed to be the first boxer in the world to be granted his professional licence after undergoing a bone marrow transplant.

He was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, after a nosebleed sustained in a national final fight in 2022 would not stop for 24 hours.

He beat Jake Pollard on points at Harrow Leisure Centre on Saturday and said the win "really meant something special".

He said he was aware of the significance of the occasion before he entered the ring on Saturday, and the atmosphere at the London venue was "incredible".

"I'm trying prove to people you can come back from things and everything really, really relied on winning that fight," he said.

"I had 200 of my closest friends and family that have been with me through the whole journey - they've seen me at my absolute worst, at my lowest.

"When I win, its not just me, it's everyone. It really meant something special.

"We had the whole place jumping."

"It was incredible," Muston said. "The feeling of getting your hand raised when you win a fight, it's euphoric."

He said he hoped to fight again before the end of the year.

"It is only the first step on the ladder - we've got so much further to go, we've got the momentum behind us we're going to keep building and getting better," he said.

"I don't take my life for granted now. I don't sit around. I don't wait. You know, I'll take opportunities whenever they come."

Then aged 18, Muston had been competing at the highest level of amateur boxing when he was his diagnosed with aplastic anaemia after a nosebleed sustained in a national final fight in 2022 would not stop for 24 hours.

He underwent a stem cell transplant, using cells donated by his father Danny, along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

He made his return to the ring two-and-a-half years later, winning gold at the national championships.

Speaking after being awarded his pro licence earlier this year, Muston said that despite being told his career was over, he "always saw myself coming back".

Muston's licence was granted by the British Boxing Board of Control, the governing body for professional boxing in Great Britain.

Applicants need to pass an extensive medical examination, including blood tests and a brain scan, before a licence can be approved.