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“I told you so!” – Regan Buckley anticipates profile-boost following all-Irish win


He is that young he might not remember the Madison Avenue hit ‘Don’t Call Me Baby’, but Regan Buckley should use the song as his ring walk moving forward.

The 20 year old didn’t quote the lyric directly, but did everything he could to make sure he isn’t seen as a young novice or a baby of the pro fight game.

Don’t be fooled by the lack of facial hair or the short hair,’The Rocket’ isn’t just a man, but a man on a mission.

The flyweight defied the usual early days learning curve mantra by jumping through the weights to take on a 28 year old fellow unbeaten Irish fighter Carl McDonald on the Celtic Clash 3 card on Saturday.

He took the pressure and hype in his stride, produced a dominaneering performance to claim a brilliant 59-55 win in the fight of the night – and continued to stick two fingers up to the nay-sayers afterwards.

“I am over the moon. It’s hard to take it all in at the minute but I’m delighted. I told everyone I would cruise through the fight. I told everyone from day one and that is what happened.”

“I thought I took over from the middle of the first round and I kept the pressure on from then. Everyone was saying he would be too big and too strong for me, but I pushed him back anytime I wanted.”

“I showed all different things. I told you’s all what ever he wanted to do I would be prepared for it. Front foot, back foot, side to side, switch it up – I did it all.”

There was certainly easier options for Buckley, but the Wicklow fighter wants to do things different. The Bray man seems only well to aware that he is fighting a host of new fighters for the spotlight and it seems it made a pre-planned and strategic move in seeking a fight with McDonald.

“I know I am ready for it. I don’t want to be fighting journeymen all the time. There is no point in it. You actually lose motivation in training. I have to say fair play to Carl he seems to have the same attitude and he took the fight too.”

“I knew I was ready and I know I am going to move on now to bigger and better things, this is just a stepping stone.”

“I am after beating a lad that no one thought I could beat and winning a fight people said I shouldn’t have taken. But I know and my Da’ knows what I am capable of,” he added before commenting on what he believes the win will do for his profile.

“Everyone will notice me now. That was the idea. There are a lot of lads out there winning and winning, but no one really sits up and takes note because they are just beating journeymen.”

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

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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