‘Underdog My Whole Life’ – Caoimhin Agyarko Promises to Keeping Proving Doubters Wrong

Caoimhin Agyarko believes his gutsy Windsor Park win has finally silenced those who have questioned his toughness.

The Belfast man came through a bruising battle with Ismael Davis, overcoming a badly swollen eye to secure one of the biggest victories of his career in front of a roaring home support.

Some feared disaster as his left eye ballooned shut in the second half of the fight. But inside the ropes, the 27-year-old was determined not to let an injury — or the doubters — stop him.

“From round seven or eight on, I could see very little out of that eye,” Black Thunder explained. “When the doctor asked me to follow his finger, I had to open my eye as wide as I could so the fight wouldn’t be stopped.

“But it’s part of the game. You’ve just got to deal with it. People have said I don’t have the heart or the bottle, but if that fight doesn’t prove everybody wrong, then I don’t know what will.”

The swelling was made worse by Agyarko’s own instincts — repeatedly blowing his nose between rounds, something he admits was a mistake. Still, he dug deep to battle through five grueling rounds virtually blind on one side, showing the grit some had accused him of lacking.

“I dealt with it well in a high-paced fight,” he said. “It was back and forth, it lived up to the hype, and I showed a lot about myself.”

Agyarko has been tipped by knowledgeable people within the boxing family to succeed. However, going by the bookies’ odds he was expected to suffer a first career defeat on the massive Matchroom card.

“I was quite surprised to be underdog, to be honest,” he comments.

“I thought it was a 50/50 fight, but people love to question me,” he said. “I’ve been an underdog my whole life, in boxing and in my personal life. There’s something about me that loves proving people wrong. I get a high off it.

“People can keep doubting me, keep making me the underdog, and I’ll keep proving them wrong,” he added before praising the fans who cheered him to victory.

“The Irish fans are the best in the world. Whether it’s someone making their debut or fighting for a world title, they treat them all the same. I’ll forever be grateful to them. That night will live with me forever.”