Fagan vows to fight on

02 July 2009 – By Mark Doyle

Oisin Fagan cut a forlorn figure as he sat in his dressing room after Saturday nights points defeat to Eddie Hyland at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin.

However, in spite of his massive disappointment at failing to capture the vacant IBF International super-featherweight title Gael Force insisted that he intends to fight on.

“I dont think Ill retire. I really thought that I had it in me to win that fight,” Fagan admitted.

“I hadnt got losing in my mind at all. I hadnt really thought about what Id do if I lost because I was really expecting to win this one, so Im just very disappointed.

“But thats boxing and I think Im going to carry on what else would I do?!”

Fagan had dropped down from light-welterweight for the clash with Hyland but the 35-year-old Dubliner insisted that weight had not been a determining factor in the fight.

“I felt good at super-featherweight. It was hard to make the weight, I have to say. But I think its a good weight for me because I felt quite strong, he explained.

“Still, it was a struggle to get down there. Its like a full-time job in terms of training and nutrition so Id have to be a full-time pro for me to be a super-feather all the time.

“Id have to have a good sponsor behind me, a good financial backer because I wouldnt be able to hold down a job and pay the bills if I was trying to stay at 130lbs. You have to do mad stuff to get down there. I was training two and three times a day for this weight.”

Asked what he intends to do next, Fagan replied: “I have to look for a job now so I dont know what Im gonna do…..

But Ill probably be back in the gym on Tuesday!”

As for the bout itself, which was scored 118-111, 116-112, 118-110, all in favour of his opponent, Fagan had little complaint about the outcome.

However, he did feel he was rather harshly treated by the judges.

“The decision was fair, the right man won but I didnt think the scoring was right. I thought it was much closer than the scorecards suggested,” he argued.

“I would be up for fighting him again and its good to hear that hed be up for it, too, but obviously the money would have to be right.

“But we were talking beforehand about Gatti-Ward and I think what we produced tonight was in memory of Arturo.”