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Phil Sutcliffe Jr explains Yigit ‘loss’

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Phil Sutcliffe Jr got back to winning ways last weekend with a crushing first round knockout of Geiboord Omier in Oldham.

The win was Sutcliffe’s first since his short-notice loss to European #2 Anthony Yigit in Hamburg in May.

In Germany, the Crumlin boxer lost out on a tight majority decision (75-77 x2, 76-76), a result that some at ringside, such as Sky’s Ed Robinson, questioned.

Due to his imperfect preparations, Sutcliffe was not too upset about the loss, has bounced back quickly, and is now looking to continue towards the European title.

Speaking to Irish-Boxing.com this week, the Dubliner said that “it is nice to win like that after the last fight.”

Reflecting on his loss to the Swedish Olympian, Sutcliffe explained that “I don’t want to make excuses and fair play to him he won the fight, but I know what I did wrong if we were to fight again he wouldn’t last five rounds.”

“Honestly I would stop him before five rounds were done.”

His preparation for the bout with Yigit were certainly less than ideal, and Sutcliffe revealed how “the fight was on and off three times.”

“We only really got definite word two weeks out and then we didn’t sign the contract until the Tuesday before the fight.”

“Before that they asked us to fight Sandor Martin for the EU title, we said yes of course, then they came back and said no.”

“Then they asked us to fight a different weight and the same thing happened again.”

“In my mind the fight was never going to happen.”

“I was sparring Anthony Crolla in the lead up but I wasn’t watching my weight. To  be honest I was 72kgs a week out [over 18lbs above the 140lbs light welterweight limit]. I had to drop too much weight and I wasn’t myself on the night.”

“I still think at the very least the fight was a draw, but I had no energy and couldn’t catch him when he was running. I usually make the weight easy enough, but I after cutting that week I couldn’t re-hydrate and I just hadn’t the energy on the night.”

“If I fought him again I would stop him.”

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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