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TITLE wave – John Carpenter takes the armbands off

John Carpenter [2(1)-0] is ready to show he can float without armbands when he fights in Scotland tomorrow night.

It’s not quite jumping straight into the deep end but the Clondalkin fighter does test trickier waters on the Sam Kynoch dinner show in Glasgow.

Carpenter, a fighter with no amateur experience whatsoever, moves up to six rounds on a card that includes a BUI Celtic title fight for Graham McCormack.

It’s a show of faith from coach Pete Taylor and co and it’s a move the keen to learn and progress Carpenter has no qualms with.

“I can’t stay doing four-rounders forever. If I want to progress my career,” he explains quite matter of factly to Irish-boxing.com.

“I have already ticked the four-round box so at a certain point you have to take off the armbands and jump into the next stage. I’m happy to step up the rounds and challenge myself as I know I will learn from it regardless.”

Carpenter is confident the training he has put in under Taylor means an extra six minutes won’t have a negative impact. The intriguing new to the scene fighter also suggests the sparring he has had in the Colluesem helped him get ready to step onto the next rung of the boxing ladder.

“I think the longer rounds will suit. Everyone knows how hard we train in our gym. Not everyone is cut out for it but if you can survive our sessions you get seriously fit.

“I love what I’m doing am enjoying learning and improving and this weekend is another step in the right direction for me,” he adds before he wraps some domestic fighting talk in a comment about sparring.

“I put a lot into this camp. I got great rounds in with Aaron McKenna and Paul Ryan and you saw how good the two of them are in their recent performances. I don’t think many of the guys I am linked with are sparring the calibre of boxers I am and I know this will stand to me. Plus, as I have said before, I am doing my work with Pete Taylor so hopefully, you will see an improvement from the last fight.”

Doing six makes the Dubliner BUI Celtic Title eligible and rumour suggests his team are lining up a tilt for early as next year.

Scottish promoter Kynoch, whose show Carpenter fights on this Friday, has BUI Celtic previous and has used the title to good effect in recent years.

Carpenter, who could set up a number of mouthwatering domestic clashes if he brings that particular title into play, understands the significance of six in belt parlances – but he wants to focus on winning over that distance not what being scheduled for an 18 minute fight means for his future prospects.

“I know doing six rounds makes me eligible for a Celtic Title if the opportunity were to arise but the main objective at this stage is just to get more rounds in the ring,” he adds before increasing the size of his blinkers when pushed on his title aspirations further.

“Look if the opportunity arises for a title fight then of course my management will discuss it. However, all that talk can be distracting and most of the fights never happen so I just focus on learning from Pete and my team in the gym every day. That is all that I can control. I have made it clear that I am happy to fight any of them [Irish super middle and light heavys] but for now, I am just focusing on the job at hand.

Carpenter returns to Scotland for the second time in his young career. He has now issue traveling and is expecting his support to make him feel at home again.

However, there is no place like home and he does look forward to fighting in Dublin.

“Scotland has been great, love it there. It is always a good trip away with my team and supporters. Kynoch Boxing and Sam have been very good to me and I want to thank them for that. It is always very professional Sam. That said I would really love to fight at home in Dublin. I would pack any venue out,” he adds before suggesting he wants to show off his skillset tomorrow.

“Getting the 6 rounds in is the main objective. In the last fight I showed my power, in this fight, I want to show I can box as well.
I’d also like to thank everyone for their support and all my sponsors for getting behind me.”

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