Chopper Cahill wants to “start at the top” following statement debut

James Cahill [1(0)-0] stood out and got people talking when he made his debut in September.

Still only 19, Cahill was one of the top performers on the Celtic Clash 3 card at the National Stadium in Dublin where he dropped and outpointed Poland’s Tomasz Goluch.

The Wicklow welter received plenty of plaudits, but it wasn’t enough.

Impressing is almost a requirement for the teenage talent, and Cahill is keen to make a statement every time he steps in the ring.

Regarding the hype created by his polished debut performance, Cahill told Irish-Boxing.com that “it gives me a boost, I suppose.”

“But I always want to keep that tempo up, every fight I want people to be saying that I’m getting better, I’m getting better, I’m getting better.”

“I don’t just want ‘ah yeah, he’s good.’ I want more and more. Everytime I hear that i want to train harder and be better until I’m the best that I can be. I’m not there yet, there’s a lot more to do.”

Cahill continues his development this Saturday at the same venue on the Celtic Clash 4 bill.

Here he will take on game Zambian Mwenya Chisanga, who recently gave Belfast lightweight Joe Fitzpatrick before being stopped on his feet in the sixth by the Commonwealth Games silver medalist.

While he’s not explicitly hunting for a stoppage, ‘Chopper’ Cahill can envision himself chopping down the African.

The Bray youngster outlined how “this fight could go any way and that’s how I always think. I never go in thinking I’m going to stop a man. Just go in and see what happens.”

“…but there definitely could be one there.”

It’s been a great camp, I’m in top shape. Strength’s up, fitness is up, everything is top notch.”

In terms of what he can improve from the debut, Cahill notes how “there really not much. I’m going to try settle down a bit more.”

“I rushed a few shots, did some stupid stuff, but I reckon it may have been the big hype that got me like that. In sparring I wouldn’t be as bad as that.”

While he is still young, Cahill doesn’t want to be wrapped in cotton wool while he physically develops.

“I want to get straight into it,” he stressed.

It’s not just youthful exuberance either, and he reasoned how “that’s what I think, if you’re waiting around in these easy fights, the minute you’re in a hard fight it’s going to be harder for you.”

“If you want to go to the top, start at the top. You don’t go into a competition and say ‘I want the easy fights,’ that’s not how you win – you go and beat the hard lads and that’s how you prove you’re the best.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)