Aaron Chalmers may be known for his time spent on MTV’s hit show Geordie Shore, but it wasn’t always glitz and glam for the TV star-turned boxer. He spent years working on an offshore oil rig and scaffolding the streets of Newcastle.
However, Chalmers turned his attention to boxing in June 2022 and will look to extend his unbeaten record to 2-0 when he faces Idris Virgo in his home town this weekend.
Chalmers feels confident in his abilities after his exhibition bout with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in February this year went all eight rounds ending in a no-decision at the 02 Arena.
However, the TV personality wants to do one better this time and knock ‘Virgo’ cold out – claiming he will do everything in his power to ‘go in there and finish the fight as quickly as possible’.
Chalmers sat down with Mail Sport to discuss his upcoming fight with Virgo, fearing for his life while working on an oil rig, and rising to stardom through Geordie Shore.
Aaron Chalmers sat down with Mail Sport to discuss his upcoming fight with Idris Virgo, fearing for his life while working on an oil rig and rising to stardom through Geordie Shore
Is this a walk in the park compared to Floyd Mayweather?
I wouldn’t say a walk in the park but he’s not 14-0 for no reason. This is going to be a tough fight, totally different fight to Floyd and a totally different fighter.
He’s going to try to rough me up but I’ve prepared for everything – every outcome that’s coming my way.
Chalmers (right) says Idris Virgo is a ‘completely different’ fighter to Floyd Mayweather (left)
Is the bad blood genuine between you and Idris?
I don’t really know the kid, he’s just in my way to where I want to get to. I have to go out there and beat him to get to the place I want to be. He feels the same. I’m a stepping stone for him and he’s a stepping stone for me to get to bigger fights, that’s how I look at it.
We both want to hurt each other and knock each other out so it’s not going to be nicey-nicey up until fight night. I’ve got no hesitation of shaking the man’s hand after the fight but until then it’s every man for himself.
Idris told me he would have KO’d Floyd…
The reason he would never KO Floyd because he would never get the Floyd fight in the first place because no one knows who he is. I’ve actually had to start tagging Idris Elba on Twitter because no one knows who the f*** Idris Virgo is. Everyone’s like ‘who’s Idris’. We’ve been tagging Idris Elba because we need some credibility to the man I’m fighting.
He also said he’d KO you very quickly. What’s your prediction?
Mate, the kid’s never knocked anyone out in his f***ing life, the man has got absolute f***ing pillow hands. I want to go in there and finish the fight as quickly as possible. I would love to knock him out, I’m not even going to lie. I would f***ing love to knock him out cold, that would be an absolute dream.
Chalmers says no one knows who his opponent actually is and joked about tagging Idris Elba
We’ll see what comes. It’s not going to be an easy night. I’m not going to say stuff like ‘I’m going to knock him out in 10 seconds’ because I know that’s not going to happen. I know it’s going to be a hard night but I will come away with the victory.
Where do you want to be in the future?
I’m 36 now and I aint going to be holding no British title, I’m a little bit too old. I want the big fights and the big names and (exhibition fights) are the big fights people are chasing. Beating Idris will put me in the firing line for these people.
At what point did you go from Geordie Shore to fighting?
I used to do Muay Thai when I was a teenager but I never got to fight because I went to work on an oil rig so I had to give it up. It was always in the back of my mind. Later in my life, I was sat on the beach, four years into Geordie Shore and my manager said what’s your plans after GS? I said I just want to have one MMA fight. His brother was a matchmaker for a big MMA promotion. That was seven years ago and I’m still here so I must have done something right.
The fights were getting bigger and bigger, I was making six figures per fight and I thought this is f***ing crazy. I fell out of love with the MMA and then you’ve got the influencer boxing that’s come around. I’d love to ride out into the sunset in 18 months with a few big names under my belt ie. Tommy Fury, KSI and Jake Paul. I’d love to get them on hit list.
What was it like working on the oil rig?
I was 22 when I first went on the oil rig and I went on Geordie Shore when I was 27. I didn’t know anything different. From going scaffolding on the streets and then the oil rig it was so much easier.
Chalmers (top right) rose to stardom after taking part in MTV’s hit show Geordie Shore – five years after working on an oil rig
At the time I was away two weeks at a time but I was single, no children and I was going away, getting loads of money, coming back spending it all and going back to work. It was a great experience because I know I’ve come from a hard working background. To go from scaffolding to an oil rig to Geordie Shore, to MMA to boxing – I’ve got a few things on the resume through the years.
Was the oil rig ever really dangerous?
The only time it was really scary – the rig we were normally on was fixed to the floor, but we happened to be on one that was called a floating barge. There was a bridge that was attached to the rig and we would walk across. In the winter, it was really bad weather so I had to detatch the bridge and pull away from the rig.
F***ing hell. Mate, I swear down – I remember looking out the window. One of the blokes who had been off shore for 30 years came into my room and said “You should sleep in a survival suit tonight”.
It was a waterproof suit. I said, “No way” and I thought, “This could be it”. This floating barge was massive and it was getting moved around and thrown all over – like it was a tiny kayak. That was the scariest time but I survived it and thank God.