‘I’d be devastated if I don’t knock him out’ – Galway’s Harley Burke ready for ultimate revenge fight

A win still isn’t enough for knockout junkie Harley Burke.

The Galway-born New York-raised puncher goes into the lion’s den to face motivated and talented opposition, declaring he wants to maintain his 100 percent knockout ratio.

Indeed, the 25-year-old, who has four first-round KOs from his four fights to date, says he will be devastated if he doesn’t get Raekwon Williams [1(1)-0] out of there before the final bell.

“All that matters Saturday is that I get my hand raised. But honestly I’d be devastated if I don’t knock him out,” the exciting prospect told Irish-boxing.com.

“I must knock him out. I have 12 minutes to break him. I’m going for the KO one hundred percent.”

It’s not that ‘Heavy Hands’ feels he need to make irrelevant the judges to have a chance at victory, he justs loves a knockout. Although in this case, he does seem to believe the pressure approach will give him the best chance of securing that win.

“He’s a threat if I let him box. He’s big, has good speed, and likes to move. Definitely my toughest opponent to date but I’m not going to let him box it’s that simple. We’re going to fight.”

It’s all positive from the Woodlawn South Bronx resident, Burke even believes going into his opponent’s back yard is a plus.

“I’m going into his backyard which excites me,” he continues.

“He had a nice crowd at the last fight. I love that. These moments are what it’s all about. I live for this shit I can’t wait.”

There is a genuine revenge subplot to the South Carolina hosted fight. Burke holds a knockout win over his opponent’s cousin, Kahlee Willaims, and was ringside when a well supported Raekwon Williams stopped his stablemate Abner Guadalupe.

Burke tells his opponent if he won’t have far to look if he wants to try avenge his cousin’s first-round knockout reverse, but warns getting revenge won’t be easy.

“I’m sure he’s motivated by revenge. We sized each other up back in November. I knew then it was a fight that could happen.

“If he wants to avenge his cousin he should try and knock me stone dead. I won’t be hard to find. I’m not taking one backwards step this fight. I’ll be right there,” a fighter who doesn’t hold back in the ring physically or out of it verbally added.

The fight does represent a step up for Burke but Williams is also the first opponent he had time to specifically prepare for – and the Big Apple-based Connacht fighter did just that.

“I’m feeling great heading into this fight. This is my first fight where I actually know who I’m fighting. I’ve seen him fight I know what he likes to do. I’ve worked on a set gameplan every day for the last two months and I’m excited to go execute it.”