‘He Can’t Afford to Lose’ – Jay Byrne on High Stakes Karl Sheridan Rematch

Karl Sheridan’s fourth pro fight this weekend should be bleeping loudly on fight fans’ radar, not flying under it, claims Jay Byrne.

The JB Promotions boss man says there is a lot more than pride at stake when the Crumlin native looks to avenge his sole career defeat on the Judgement Day card.

According to the fighter-turned-fight-maker, the National Stadium hosted rematch with the brilliantly named Jorge Luis Huerta Balleza, who beat the Dub earlier this year, is as must-win as it gets. 

“It’s a big fight and I’m surprised it’s gone under the radar,” Byrne told Irish-boxing.com.

“You could say his career on the line there. That might sound dramatic but if he loses that fight, where do you go?” 

“I’m sure Karl will be going into this fight thinking, ‘ I can’t afford to lose this. If I lose this, where do I go? “You can make a mistake once, but you can’t make it twice.”

The straight-talking Byrne stopped short of saying defeat would necessarily mean retirement, although he did indicate it would reshape the long-term asspirations of his charge.

As such, it’s a brave move, but the promoter has faith in his fellow Dub and feels he has already proven he has the Mexican’s number. 

“We still believe he won the first fight,” Byrne said.

“Now it’s a matter of getting in, up in the gears and showing that he did win the first fight,” he adds before suggesting that there is huge reward to go with the risk Sheridan is taking. 

“Once we do the win on that one, [the defeat]it’s gone, it’s forgotten about,” he said.

“He may as well be unbeaten because he’ll have shifted the form. It’s gone.”