LOVE Island star Wil Anderson intends to make a statement when he fights Jordan Banjo next month, insisting it will be an “absolute war”.
The two fighters will lace up their gloves on a Misfits card in Leeds on April 12 and Wil, 23, says he won’t be happy unless he knocks Jordan, 32, out.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, he says: “I don’t think there’s any favourites, to be honest.
“I think it’s both our debuts. It’s a very even match-up, and obviously I back myself. I think if I don’t see his head bounce off the canvas, then I won’t be happy. But I think it’ll make for a great, great fight, an absolute war.”
The fight features on a stellar card headlined by another former Islander, Idris Virgo, and Tyson Fury‘s sparring partner Ty Mitchell.
But Wil, 23, thinks his clash could top all those around it when the two big TV stars come to blows in the ring.
“I believe that mine and Jordan’s fight could be possibly the most interesting fight on that card,” he says.
“Solely down to the fact that we’re both debutants, but both pretty decent boxers. So I think it’s going to make for an absolute war. And yeah, the other fights on the card are great.
Despite his vow to floor Jordan, he has nothing but respect for his opponent and says there’ll be no shenanigans in the build up to rival Chris Eubank Jr’s recent press conference with bitter rival Conor Benn.
Eubank divided opinion when he cracked an egg on his opponent’s face – a swipe at Benn’s failed drug test in 2022. Benn maintains the discovery of the fertility drug, Clomiphene, in his urine was due to the amount of eggs he was consuming at the time. He has since been cleared of doping.
Wil said: “Me and Jordan have spoken before, actually, so there’s no bad blood there. But I do think we’ll be able to put on a great show for everyone.
“I’ve met him before, and he’s a great guy, so a good opponent to have.”
Jordan rose to fame as a member of dance troupe Diversity, winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 alongside brother Ashley.
He’s since gone on to have a successful media career starring in I’m A Celebrity and landing his own radio show with Diversity’s Perri Kiely on Kiss.
Asked if he’s worried about potentially being portrayed as the villain leading into the bout, Wil says: “The villain could be either one of us, to be honest. It depends how the process goes.
“I don’t mind being whichever character they want to assign me as. I just want to get in there and do a job.”
It’s all been a long time coming.
For seven long months since starring in the villa Wil has been quietly training and biding his time to find an opponent.
“It hasn’t exactly gone as smoothly as I thought,” he admits. “I couldn’t quite match up with anyone. And then I got a phone call, well, the night before it was announced, and got offered the fight with Jordan.
“And Jordan’s just such a big name, I think it’ll make for a great fight. Obviously, I only got a month’s prep, so that was one thing I had to take into consideration. But I think the opportunity just overshadowed that, to be honest.”
The fight announcement came just days after Wil called out Curtis Pritchard following the pro dancer’s admission he’d like to step in the ring.
Wil branded him a “fool” and mocked his famously cringeworthy cameo in Hollyoaks, but it failed to entice Curtis into a war of words.
However, Wil isn’t ruling out a showdown in the future.
He says: “So I saw him come out and say, Oh, you know he wants to do a bit of boxing. I thought, well, I’m sat here waiting to do it as well. So why not the two of us?
“But I had a feeling that he wouldn’t want to fight me to be honest. And I don’t blame him, to be fair, but hopefully, sometime in the future he might pluck up the courage to get in the ring with us. I don’t know but I might be on to bigger and better things by then.”
Come fight night, Wil will have strong support from family, friends and girlfriend Uma Jammeh.
The Love Island sweethearts have been inseparable since leaving the villa and Wil expects it to be a special night for him and his nearest and dearest.
“They’ll be nervous, but they’ll be confident in me because they know what I’m capable of, and they know how much I want this,” he says.
“I think more than anything, they’ll just be proud and happy that I’m there, and I’ve made it to where I want to be.”
Full Blinders & Brawls Misfits card
Idris Virgo v Ty Mitchell for the MFB Light Heavyweight title
Jully Poca vs. Aria Wild, cruiserweight – MF title
Joey Knight vs. Andy Howson, lightweight
Jordan Banjo vs. Wil Anderson, cruiserweight
Mo Deen vs. Wakey Wines, cruiserweight
Dylan Price vs. TBA, super bantamweight
