TRIUMPH and tragedy all too often go hand in hand in the boxing world – just look at the life of Tony Borg.

The boy from Tiger Bay is now one of the country’s most respected and successful coaches, but getting there has by no means been plain sailing for the St Joseph’s trainer.

Borg returns to his Cardiff roots tomorrow for the official launch of Megan’s Boy, Amanda Aubrey-Burden’s biography of the 53-year-old father-of-nine.

From his days growing up in Splott to taking the plunge and tying the knot earlier this year, Megan’s Boy recounts the story of a life well lived.

But while it is a life filled with plenty of joy and humour, it is also one touched by sadness and bad fortune.

Borg, who never knew his dad, was only 18 when mum Megan, an indomitable character and her son’s biggest fan, passed away at the age of 47.

It was this, and the subsequent responsibility of looking after his three sisters, that prompted Borg to turn professional following a stellar amateur career which saw him win numerous national titles.

His time in the paid code had its fair share of ups and downs, while outside the ring he completed an apprenticeship in hairdressing and worked on the doors of some of Cardiff’s popular drinking establishments.

An altercation with a stag party one night led to a defining moment in Borg’s life which happened 30 years ago today.

Breaking the jaw of an unruly and boozed up reveller led to an appearance in court and the real possibility of a prison sentence.

Luckily for him, the judge deemed a hefty fine would suffice, but having returned home to Newport, Borg was hit by a car while on a training run with trainer and one-time opponent Steve ‘Sammy’ Sims.

Borg, who by now had fought 21 times as a pro, was left with a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg, damage to his lower back and right shoulder, and a head injury.

The incident had several knock-on effects, both positive and negative.

Soon after the incident he lost his boxing licence, began to drink heavily and was then banged up after a “fracas” in the street.

However, as he says himself, prison served as a turning point in his life.

“A lot of people would think I regretted going to prison but I certainly didn’t,” said Borg. “It was one of the best experiences of my life.

“It gave me a better outlook on life and made me appreciate things more.

“When I was in prison I read a book about the effects of alcohol, and after the accident I had been getting into a lot of fights, I was always up for a scrap.

“Being inside made me look at my life and I thought ‘I’m better than this’.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

After a brief three-fight comeback in the early 1990s, Borg focused on training at St Joes alongside head coach Roger Williams.

Commonwealth Games and Olympic medallists and Welsh, Celtic, Commonwealth, British, European and world titles followed.

The massive blow of seeing Lee Selby lose his IBF world featherweight crown to Josh Warrington this summer was tough to take, but it only seems a matter of time before global honours return to St Joes.

Commenting on writing the book, Aubrey-Burden, who is a long-time friend of Borg’s, said: “The way the book was done was very unconventional because Tony’s very busy, I’m in Chepstow and he’s in Newport, so it was done via text, private mail on Facebook and phone calls.

“He did say to me that he wouldn’t have anyone else do it because the trust that’s there and the background we share.

“We’re both from an ethnic background, raised on streets where you didn’t have many kids of mixed race, so you had that connection as well.

“My father was a trainer, my brother was Welsh schoolboy champion and Tony often used to see my dad on the circuit, so it was all there, and when you’re writing someone’s life story trust is massive.”

She added: “Tony hasn’t really changed over the years, he’s just less mischievous, because he was always getting into trouble, but he was good fun.”

Borg will be signing copies of Megan's Boy at The Exchange Hotel in Cardiff Bay tomorrow from noon to 3pm, while the book is available to buy at Amazon.