Fighters Only

Issue 005

July 2005

The 21 year old rising star from Birmingham, Jimmy Wallhead has a bright future ahead with all the support he is receiving from his mentors, coaches and family. His growing confidence and focus on improving his game is clearly reflected in how he perceives himself as an individual. But the 1-0-1 fighter also has a deep interest in the ancient art of tattooing and is not afraid of allowing his best mate, who just happens to be a tattooist, experimenting on his body.

His first tattoo, the one that encircles his right nipple was a spur of the moment choice: “I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted to have done I just knew that I wanted a tattoo so (I) just walked into the tattoo parlour, looked at some pictures and chose it.”

Jimmy says tattoos are a way of making him feel and look different. And clearly he doesn’t want to be like everyone else and has some strong opinions. The motivation for the other tattoo on his chest – ‘Only God can judge me’ stems from some of Jimmy’s own life experiences.

By his own admission he’s been through a few rough patches in the past, done things he may now choose not to do if presented with the same set of circumstances and opportunities. “People always seem to want to judge you without really knowing you, what you’re about or what motivates you,” he told Fighters Only, “I am an individual and no-one has the right to judge me regardless of what I’ve done, what I do or who I am, and besides people do change.”

Getting his first piece of body art wasn’t that painful he recalls: “I felt a stinging sensation, like pins and needles, but it wasn’t painful at all.”

The sprawling tattoo on his left shoulder was, in Jimmy’s own words, a cover-up and an experiment. “My mate (the tattooist) got hold of a biro and drew the design directly onto my skin. It was a cover-up job but I like it and may even add to it,” he said.

When quizzed on what precisely he was covering up Jimmy politely declined.

As for future art Jimmy does have plans to add to his collection – in addition to those featured here he also has one surrounding his navel and on his lower back. “I may have a set of praying hands done either on my stomach or back I’m not sure just yet and I hope to finish the left shoulder one as well.”