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7 September 2017 2:30 AM

Harry Potter’s Goyle is now a super-buff cage fighter

By Will Stroude

Josh Herdman, who played Draco Malfoy’s righthand man Gregory Goyle in the Harry Potter films, has started an unlikely career as an amateur cage fighter.

The 28-year-old actor beat Polish fighter Janusz Walachowski in Romford, east London, at the weekend. He won on points after three rounds 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 in the amateur catchweight (80kg) category.

Josh insist he’s still an actor, in spite of only appearing in a few other movies since Harry Potter ended five years ago. “I haven’t fallen out of love with [acting], I still have an agent and still go for auditions,” he told The Mirror.

“It’s just a little bit like playing the lottery for a living. I don’t see it so much as a career change, I am passionate about both acting and fighting.”

goyle 2

Herdman, who was born in Hampton in Middlesex, was one of only 14 people to appear in all Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011. His dad was a boxer and professional rugby league player before going into acting in his late 20s and his two older brothers have both boxed.

Talking to Addicted MMA On The Road, Josh explains why he became MMA cage fighter.

“I chose MMA because I love the sport. It’s raw, exciting and unpredictable,” he says.

“I find it more interesting than boxing although I appreciate the beauty and art in boxing, it also made sense to move onto MMA because of my jujitsu training.”

“I would like a few amateur fights first to get me started and where it goes from there, who knows?”

Apart from performing Gregory Goyle in the Harry Poter franchise, Josh Herdman has starred in Coming Up, Common People and Wizards vs. Aliens.

Words: Norberto Paredes

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