One former England cricket star was left to fend for himself on the fighting circuit after racking up millions of pounds in debtBen Crawford GAU Writer and Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
16:00, 30 Nov 2025
Adam Hollioake (right) swapped cricket for boxing after being declared bankrupt(Image: Harry Trump/Getty Images)
Adam Hollioake turned to cage fighting after being declared bankrupt in 2011, seven years after retiring from cricket. The 54-year-old was born in Australia but represented England on multiple occasions.
Hollioake is best known for his time with Surrey, where he led the team to three County Championship titles as captain from 1997 to 2003. He made his ODI debut in 1996 and, despite not making a significant impact in Tests, he played in 35 One-Day matches and led his side to victory in the Sharjah Cup in 1997.
After playing in 173 first-class matches for Surrey, the all-rounder retired in 2004 and devoted some of his time to charity work. However, despite having a substantial property portfolio, Hollioake found himself bankrupt 14 years ago following the global property crash and took up another sport to make ends meet.
Hollioake had relied on property for his retirement and had no other source of income after his company, the Hollioake Group, collapsed with debts of around £13million in 2010.
A legal case soon followed when a businessman sued Hollioake and his father. The former cricket star was then declared bankrupt in Australia a year after his business collapsed.
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Shortly after that ruling, Hollioake appeared on the professional boxing circuit in Brisbane. He fought multiple times in this arena and also participated in other mixed martial arts.
He competed in MMA fights as a light heavyweight and also took part in cage fighting. Speaking to the PCA Magazine, Hollioake said: “All of a sudden from having all the money I needed and the accolades of being an England captain and everyone doing everything for me, there I was 40 years old, trying to look after my kids and not knowing how I was going to be able to pay my rent or any bills that came in.
“Stepping into a cage and fighting another man is nothing compared to the fear of not being able to look after your family. For me that is the scariest thing I have ever been through.
“It’s been one hell of a ride and it’s been pretty scary. I’d advise players to take advantage of the facilities and things which the PCA can offer you. Make sure you look after your pension. That saved my life and my sanity just about.
Hollioake turned to fighting to make some money(Image: Martin Hunter/Getty Images)
“I don’t want people to come down my path. I don’t want them to have to go and do what I have had to do. Hopefully I can help some people out and give them some advice to stay on top of their affairs.”
Hollioake then retired from the ring and started coaching his old sport in 2017. He lent his expertise to various teams before joining Pakistan as a batting coach for their 2023 tour of Australia.
A year later, he returned to his old stomping ground, Surrey, as an assistant coach. After proving his worth, Hollioake took over as Kent head coach in December 2024, signing a three-year contract.
Upon signing his contract nearly a year ago, Hollioake said: “I’m honoured to be appointed as the head coach of Kent.
“It’s an amazing chance for me to work with a great squad of players and to be involved with a county with such a rich history of success. County cricket is something that I hold extremely close to my heart, and this is an opportunity that I could not turn down.”