I'm coming back fighting fit and ready to defend my World Heavyweight title

His last bout against Štefan Vojčák was the toughest fight yet for Mackem powerhouse Phil De Fries, but, as always, he successfully defended his KSW World Heavyweight title - for the 13th time!

And he has no plans of not bringing the belt back home to Thornhill for the 14th time when he heads to Warsaw this week to take on Marcin Wójcik at KSW 117 on April 18.

The fight takes place three days before Phil’s 40th - and he very much plans on being a world champion at 40.

“I’m feeling good,” he told the Echo. “He’s a little smaller than me and 20kg lighter but he’s won his last three fights.

“My last fight wasn’t as plain sailing as normal but I think I’d cut too much weight and it took it out of me. My training is never a problem, but I’ve been sparring more intelligently and looked at my diet more,” said the champ who fights out of TFT in Seaham.

One of the city’s most-successful fighters ever, Phil has had a record-breaking winning streak since signing to KSW in 2018, one of the world’s biggest MMA promoters. KSW is Polish-based, making Phil a big hero in Poland, as well as with fight fans around the word.

The proud family man has two daughters, Willow, seven, and Violet, nine, and the whole family, including wife Karoline, were recently filmed by a Polish TV show that documents the lives of fighters’ wives.

“We did a three-day shoot and the crew came over from Poland to film us around Sunderland, down the seafront, in coffee shops,” he said. “They even went to the girls’ gymnastics classes, they loved it.”

After another title defence and starring in a TV show, next on the cards for Phil could be a fight with World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall.

Eddie is preparing to take on Tommy Fury in Manchester on June 13 for a battle billed as 'Beauty vs The Beast'.

And he’s also called out Phil for a fight.

“I don't fancy his chances, but I'll do it,” said the MMA champ.