“When he started hitting me I was thinking ‘that’s the job'” – O’Donovan happy with debut scrap
Colin O’Donovan commended the referee for saving the life of Trayan Slavev on Saturday night.
The Youghal-based super bantam made his debut on ‘Celtic Clash 3: Building Champions,’ opening the show and making short work of his first pro foe.
‘The Rebel Rouser’ battered Trayan Slavev into submission in three rounds, and looked to be enjoying himself whilst doing so.
The Bulgarian complained when the referee stepped in and O’Donovan was equally disappointed for different reasons, However the leesider claims that new ref Pádraig Ă“’Reachtagáin stopped the journeyman from getting seriously hurt.
“I would have preferred to have been allowed to finished the job, but the ref, he had seen enough,” the newest Cork fighter on the scene explained to Irish-boxing.com.
“I started to catch him with a shot, a throw down to the liver, he fell to the ropes just as I was going for the kill the ref stopped it. He was complaining, but honestly the ref saved his life. I’d have teed off on him all day.”
Slavev did try, and had a period of success in the second round where he came at the home fighter, something O’Donovan was happy with and untroubled by.
“It was a great experience. In fairness in the second he did throw a few. I wouldn’t have liked if he had come just to fall over. When he started hitting me I was thinking ‘that’s the job’.”
“I didn’t want to just walk through him and not get hit. You learn nothing that way. When he was throwing his head was down in his lap when he was throwing, I was thinking you need to have a look if you want to hit me!”
Now having a taste for all things pro boxing, O’Donovan is keen to get back out again and foresees a November return- where he will make an early jump in to all-Irish fights.
“It was crazy in comparison to the amateurs, in the amateurs your a number. This is you on your own. Everything is bigger. It’s an event and it’s a lot more exciting and better.”
“I am out again in November against an Irish lad and over to England then. I don’t know names yet, but I don’t mind who it is or what weight it’s at. I am looking forward to getting out again and getting going.”
Photo Credit: Laszlo Geczo Photography
