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One more big one! Ian Tims hits back at swansong suggestions


A typically defiant Ian Tims [13(4)-4(3)] is adamant his Devenish hosted fight tonight doesn’t have to be his last.

There were suggestions that the experienced straight-talking hardman was set for retirement after he was stopped by Luke Walkins in an Irish title fight back in June and, after talk surfaced of a December Belfast clash, some fans were suggesting it was a ‘go out on a win’ gesture.

However, the former Irish Elite Senior heavyweight champion certainly doesn’t see it that way.

The Tank has proved over the years he has no reservation of bulldozing conventional thinking or journalists’ suggestions, and wants one more ‘big’ fight.

When asked if his fight with Romanian southpaw Gheorghe Danut [10(2)-26(4)-7] was going to be his swansong, ‘Timsey’ rebuffed the suggestion with vigour.

“No, who has said that? I would like another big fight,” Tims told Irish-Boxing.com.

The retirement talk emerged after Watkins defeated the former St Matthews BC favourite via stoppage on a Matchroom show in the Summer. The experienced cruiserweight appeared to be dropped heavy in the fourth after making a solid start.

However, he feels the stoppage was premature and believes people should just accept he was caught by a brilliant shot.

“The last one [Watkins] was a big one I suppose and I thought I was doing well in it. It started great anyway!”

“Look, he caught me on the button, it was a cracking shot I have to give it to him that, and we are all big men at this weight, if you’re caught like that you can go down. But I was getting up.”

“I think the ref was premature with it. He said I banged my head on the way down but I told him my head was grand.”

“Don’t read too much into it, he landed a big one and nailed it, I went down, it happens. I’m not taking anything away from Luke, he is a good young lad and he doesn’t talk shite or anything.”

“I could have done 10 rounds easy. I was fit and ready for 10. People saying I was blowing and breathing heavy? I let them have their 10 cents worth but I know 10 rounds is nothing to me.”

The former EU cruiserweight title challenger, who holds an amateur win over Tony Bellew, talked about ‘big’ fights, but its clear he is not dreaming of the elite punchers at the weight.

Kovalev is safe, but he does feel their are fights with fellow MTK cruisers that could capture attention and prove crowd-pleasing.

“I’m going in to win Friday, but I’m not predicting anything. I don’t feel pressure to put in a big performance but I have to win. Get the win and see what happens.”

“I want another big one and if it’s offered to me I’ll take it. MTK have a few at the weight signed so there are easy to make fights there. There is Tommy McCarthy and others, we’ll see.”

After losing via stoppage at the age of 37, most fighters would have felt vulnerable in regard to their managerial link. It could seem easier to drop a fighter or encourage him to retire rather than put money into a rebuild.

Tims has praised his managers MTK in that regard and claims they have been nothing but supportive since the reverse.

“Look I have to say MTK have been brilliant, not just to me but to loads of fighters. They have been a breath of fresh air.”

“I could have retired after Watkins but they told me there were more fights there if I wanted. That’s always good to hear. I had the option. I was told to stay fit and now I’m fighting again and hopefully I can have one more big one.”

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

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