Paddy Gallagher has surprising title target for 2018

Paddy Gallagher [13(8)-3(0)] was faced with the latest of changes on Saturday night, but got the job done and is now ready to kick on.

The BBBoC Celtic welterweight champion returned to the ring on Friday last for the first time since his title defence against Gary Murray.

Initially due to face Romanian Gergo Vari, a failed pre-fight medical saw Miguel Aguilar – who Gallagher fought over four rounds in 2015 – swapped in.

While Vari may not have lasted long going by previous performance in Ireland versus Gerard Whitehouse, Aguilar provided an ultra-durable foe, The Nicaraguan brought Gallagher the full six and taking everything the Lenadoon man could throw and certainly earning his money.

‘The Pat Man’ described to Irish-Boxing.com afterwards how Aguilar “was tough, very tough, his record will tell you that.”

“It was a good six rounds, a clear as day win. I hit him with a few good good shots.”

“He was a typical journeyman, but one of the better ones, slipping and moving, he’s tough, and will throw the jab at you when you’re trying to set something up to throw you off.”

“He didn’t make things hard for me, but he did make me have to work for it.”

Gallagher is aiming for an extremely busy 2018 – however his big goal may surprise some.

The 28 year old had been due to box for the IBO Continental title against Ricardo Silva on the cancelled ‘Return of the Jackal’ bill in Belfast in July.

While the belt is lightly regarded, for Gallagher it is personal and he described how “it’s not one of the greatest belts, one of the main ones.”

“I know that, but when I was meant to be fighting for it, they let me hold it and something happened, it got me going like ‘f*ck yes! let’s win this!’ So it being cancelled has only made me want it more. You want what you can’t have.”

“Everyone talks about the British title, it’s not that I don’t want it, but it’s not something I really am ‘going for’. If it comes, and there’s a good chance it will, obviously I’ll be all over it.”

In terms of when, he added “early in the new year, maybe a nice fight in March. I want four or five fights next year, a title fight each time – and different titles too.”

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