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Teacher and student learnt world title lessons claims Pete Taylor

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Both Luke Keeler and Pete Taylor will be better equipped to claim a world title when the chance comes around again claims the middleweight’s coach.

Taylor said both fighter and trainer learnt valuable lessons from the Ballyfermot puncher’s unsuccessful world title attempt last week.

Keeler attempted to dethrone WBO middleweight world champion Demeterius Andrade on a Matchroom show in Miami seven days ago, but was eventually stopped by American.

Taylor was impressed with the heart his charge showed, but seemed to take more solace in the lessons learnt – and not just by Keeler.

The former amateur coach of note believes the 32-year-old will be back at world level very soon – and when the chance of ultimate boxing success comes again, Taylor claims both he and his fighter will be better.

“He’ll learn a lot from that. I learnt a lot from that experience as well. I did it in there with amateur world champions but that was my first time in the corner with a professional game,” Taylor told iFL TV.

“I have only been doing pro for two years so it was a learning process for me too. Luke will be there again fighting for a world title hopefully in the next year.”

Neither Taylor or Keeler have looked for excuses post last Thursday’s defeat and admitted Andrade was the better man on the night.

However, that didn’t prevent both from lamenting the first second knockdown.

Keeler revealed it set the wrong tone for the fight and his coach points out it had a negative effect on the game plan they had worked so hard on.

“We had a game plan and you know when you get caught with the first punch and you end up on your arse it’s hard to carry on with that game plan,” the coach of 18 pros added before praising both the champion and the challenger in different ways.

“Look, Andrade is a great champion. Luke showed great heart in there and got to nine rounds. At that level them lads have a lot of power and it was a big step up for Luke. He was competing in the middle rounds and I thought Andrade was tiring.”

Keeler was stopped in the xx on his feet, but Taylor like most had no qualms with the stoppage.

“It’s horrible seeing your lads getting beat or hurt. The referee stopped the fight and I’d rather he’d stop it one punch to early than one punch to late. It was a good stoppage by the referee. Luke wanted to see the final bell but his health is more important.”

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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