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“Here I am again” – Paddy Gallagher happy to prove Mayweather mindset wrong


Paddy Gallagher [11(7)-3(0)] claims he is proof your career doesn’t have to go with your 0.

The Pat Man has suffered defeats on TV three times since his debut, indeed has the rare distinction of losing twice in one bizarre Prizefighter night, but hasn’t let the reverses stop him from motoring forward and continuing to have big fights.

The entertaining welterweight and bubbly character admits his third defeat – a close loss to Tamuka Mucha in an entertaining British title eliminator – did have him worrying, but he has managed to bounce back extremely quickly.

It’s not lost on Gallagher either that on Saturday he features as chief support to none other than Carl Frampton, another fighter set to succeed despite a defeat.

Looking back on his chequered, quality-filled record, Gallagher described to Irish-Boxing.com how “I was talking to Andy Watters from the Irish News the other day and we were just talking about people with no losses on their record. It’s the whole Mayweather thing.”

“He has changed it, he is just talking about ‘unbeaten’ this and ‘unbeaten’ that and if you’re not unbeaten you’re not good enough and if you’re beat you’re crap.”

“Over the years and even still, the best world champions there was have been beaten. Pacquiao’s one of the pound for pound best in the last decade and he has lost seven times, so it’s not necessarily you’re beat and your done.”

“My record proves that a bit more locally, then Frampton is coming back from a loss and he is headlining at the Odyssey, still filling it and selling tickets no problems. Everyone is still supporting him.”

“On a smaller scale I lost twice in one night then I came back and I was looking good. I got a title and next thing I lost again and I thought to myself ‘you don’t get three chances’, but here I am again on a big show, perfectly slotted, for a good title and win this and I will be on a bigger scene.”

Gallagher boxes Swiss-based Brazilian Ricardo Silva [14(6)-1(0)], the reigning champion of the Alpine nation, for the IBO Continental title tomorrow night.

It’s another belt and, crucially, another stepping stone for the reigning Celtic champ who just wants big fights.

“I will have two titles, small titles I know, but stepping stone titles and I can look up toward bigger and bigger fights.”

“This is what I wanted. When MTK offered me a fight on the last show they asked what I wanted and said I was looking for an eight or a six rounder and I said I wanted someone like the guy I fought, Craig Kelly, a decent opponent on his way up or someone who has been there and is on the way down, one to get the win over.”

“Obviously I did that and with this one I could do the same thing. I wasn’t planning on getting two fights like that but it’s to big an opportunity to waste.”

“I am fighting for a title and I am fighting a good fighter and i am fighting prime time just before Frampton. This is what i wanted, this is what I asked for and I got it within days.

“I was talking to Blaine [McGuigan] and he said I am just on before Frampton so there will be seven or eight thousand people there so you get a good atmosphere and on TV which is even better.”

Gallagher hasn’t seen much of his opponent – indeed traffic dictated that he didn’t see him at today’s weigh-in – but he is viewing the fight as a big test and a 50:50.

The Lenadoon man noted how “someone sent me a video of him I think it was a Swiss Army fight, he was army champion. He looks tricky enough, typical southpaw. He can take a shot too apparently.”

“Sparring is going good. I’m sparring southpaws that are bigger than him, stronger than him, and faster than him, so it’s all done now and it’s just about going in there and getting the job done Saturday night.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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