IT TOOK me 10 years to get a world rating, I used to be nearly on the pinnacle after which it will get ripped away from me.
What can I do? This doesn’t occur fairly often. There was no one I might flip to for any recommendation. I needed to simply crack on with it and take a look at it as one other character-building expertise.
Then once I discovered about Zolani Tete failing a drug take a look at, I used to be gutted. After the combat, I accepted how good he was. There have been no excuses from me. I knew his profession, knew he had been a pound-for-pound fighter just a few years in the past and, from the beginning, I knew I used to be up in opposition to it.
Then this comes out 5 months later and also you get offended. I really feel very arduous achieved to. If I had gained that night time, the place would I be now? As a substitute of that, my profession has stalled and I’ve misplaced my world rating.
I bought some motivation again when [Queensberry Promotions’] Andy Ayling rang me to say what the plan was for me. There’s the combat with [Miguel] Gonzalez on Saturday night time in Telford and if I beat him, it is going to be [British and European champion] Liam Davies in the summertime. I do know BoxRec has that combat taking place on April 29, however we’re June.
By then, the loss to Tete ought to have been scrubbed off my file and became a no-contest. There’s going to be a listening to with UK Anti-Doping within the subsequent few weeks and I’m certain it is going to be declared a no-contest after that assembly. It shouldn’t be seen as a defeat anymore.
It took 5 months for the failed medicine take a look at to return out and that point has value me some momentum after I had labored so arduous for thus lengthy to get the place I used to be.
There’s the prospect that even with out dishonest, he should still have gained as a result of he has been a high, high fighter, nevertheless it wasn’t honest.
No one had ever don’t that to me earlier than and that failed take a look at helps me to justify it. I wasn’t very nicely for just a few weeks after the combat. I used to be concussed and it might have been worse. I’ve to take it on the chin and get on with it. I’ve bought the prospect to return again now.
Beating Gonzalez ought to get my world rating again after which the Davies combat might result in a world-title eliminator. Who is aware of, perhaps I might nonetheless find yourself combating for a world title by the tip of the yr? The combat with Davies is huge domestically.
First, I’ve to show to myself there’s loads left on Saturday night time. I don’t must show something to anybody else after the profession I’ve had and every thing I’ve achieved since I turned professional in 2011.
I simply must know myself that I can nonetheless do it.
This combat on Saturday night time seems an excellent one for me.
It took some time to get it over the road, however I bought the contract a few weeks in the past and I’m glad it’s taking place. Solely world champions (Paul Butler, Andrew Moloney and Jerwin Ancajas) have crushed him and he has a 33-3 file that appears good on paper.
“He’s small, although, arising from super-flyweight, and that ought to work in my favour. I ought to be capable of use my attributes. I’ve watched his combat with Ancajas and he’s given me the blueprint.
He [Ancajas] is a southpaw with good toes, like me, and the sport plan would be the identical. The distinction is, I will likely be very huge in comparison with Ancajas.
I would like to make use of my toes so I’m at all times a step forward and throw them straight down the pipe. I must hold my self-discipline. I’ve seen that he fades, and I feel I can break him down and cease him.
