Big-hitter Belujsky makes Belfast statement
Boxing reporting allows writers a lot more access to athletes than other sports.
For instance, take the MHD ‘Collision’ bill at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Saturday just gone. With no ‘media area’, it was straight up to the large, common dressing area after fights to interview the boxers.
Vladimir Belujsky [3(3)-1(0)-1] had just stopped Iain Jackson inside a round of their super middleweight clash and Irish-Boxing.com awaited upstairs for the Cork-Slovakian.
First though, it was journeyman Jackson and coach Michael Ballingall who arrived.
Eyes wide and a few expletives uttered, the experienced pair were in agreement – Belujsky packs a whallop.
The nature of the victory against a fifty-fight veteran served to boost Belujsky’s confidence.
The Mitchelstown 22-year-old, returning from a loss on Ireland’s Last Man Standing, admitted as much to Irish-Boxing.com, noting “especially against a guy like this, who’s durable.”
“He hasn’t really been stopped and hasn’t been stopped with a shot to the head, ever, so it was good to get that.”
“I had to get back in the ring straight away. The last one, it was okay. I did well but I knew I could do more. I came out of the ring and I was still itching, I wanted to fight again!”
While the win was a statement, it wasn’t part of the script for the Assassin Boxing man who reiterated his pre-fight stance that “I actually wanted four rounds but, what can I do? If the knockout comes, I have to take it.”
“When I see them hurt, I have to take them out.”
“My manager Kaz [Evans] said ‘we want you to progress, we want to do six rounds next’. They wanted to see how I’d get on over a longer number of rounds so that’s why we got this guy in – but he didn’t last.”
Belujsky now wants to progress up to longer fights, with his goal of a national title – either Irish or Slovakian – in 2018 remaining.
Outlining his plans, the ‘Slovak Rebel’ stated that “I was meant to fight on the 28th of April in London but then I said I’d take this fight because it would be easier as I have exams coming up, get it out of the way.”
“I’ll be back at the start of June – and the end of June.”
“[I want] sixes and eights. In sparring, I can do the longer rounds with the likes of Spike [O’Sullivan] and Chris Eubank Jr. With them, I can do eight rounds, high pace.”
“I start slow, but I switch on, as the fight progresses, I get stronger, I get fitter, I feel like I’m a long-round fighter. After four rounds I get going”
Photo Credit: Chris Scott (AMMG Media)
