Skill is more important than will says Kavanagh

WHEN Jamie Kavanagh returned to his corner after the second round of his Fantasy Springs hosted clash with Miguel Zamudio last Saturday night coach Joel Diaz scolded the Dubliner for being drawn into scarp.

“Box don’t fight this guy” was the message with a few expletives thrown in for effect. Kavanagh had just got off the canvas and there was a sense of worry among Irish fight fans watching the televised bout.

Speaking to Irish-boxing.com ‘The Nuisance’ moved to ease any doubts. He revealed the knock down, came as a result of a head clash and was of the flash nature. The fighter, who is more often than not in entertaining clashes, also says he had no massive brawl desire, but traded a little more in the opening six minutes because of ring rust.

Kavanagh says he has a box not fight plan, but said it took him a number of rounds to find his rhythm against a fighter with 32 wins.

“Using my skills is the plan for future, I plan to use them more than using my heart,” the 24 year old lightweight, who is currently in talks with Golden Boy re a contract extension said.

“I had been out of the ring for a year so naturally it took two or three rounds for me to find my distance and rhythm. He knew I was out for a while and brought the pressure early, so I did what was natural and fought back. Maybe I should have kept it cleaner and done my work but like I said I’m back now and that won’t happen again,nor will been inactive for so long.

“I spoke too Joel after the fight and he said ‘listen its natural to not feel right straight away’. He knows the game and understood. In a fight you need to feel comfortable in there and with me being out for a year that took a few rounds,” he added before discussing the knockdown.

“The knock down came from a clash of heads. The replay showed when we was in close he swung his head across and caught me in the left side of my jaw and I lost my balance.

“There was a punch thrown to the body before from him but I was never in trouble just a flash knockdown really. I didn’t think about it or let it bother me. I asked the referee before the fight to watch his head cause he had been reckless with it in past fights and even had point deducted as a result.”