‘Sky rocketed’ – Gaynor has made the most of this two year ring absence
Liam Gaynor [2-0] warns while he has been away from the spotlight he hasn’t been away from boxing- and thus predicts people will be shocked at how much he has improved when he ends a prolonged career sabbatical later this month.
The Tallaght native is somewhat of a forgotten fixture having not graced the ring since November 2017. The 21 year old did make a positive start with victories over two of the more challenging journey men, but endured rotten luck in 2018.
The Kilnamanagh native saw no fewer than three fight dates fall through and fell into some form of boxing limbo.
However, while he admits the last 21 months have been frustrating, Gaynor has fallen out of love with the sport nor has he lost touch with it.
Indeed, since relocating to Bolton he has lived the noble art and claims when he fights in England on July 26.
“It’s definitely been frustrating for me as a boxer or any boxer having time off from what they love to do but in the mean time I was learning every day,” Gaynor told Irish-boxing.com.
“I believe over the last two years my progress has sky rocketed and I’m looking forward to showing that off on the 26th of July.”
It’s a positive outlook from the now Elite Gym fighter, but while he takes solace from the fact he has learnt and improved he still yearns the chance to enter the paid ring.
“Boxing at the moment is my life. I get up go training come home eat and then I’m coaching and training again, so getting back in the ring is a big thing for me especially being so long out.”
Gaynor’s three fight cancellations didn’t surround injury or opponent pull out, nor had it anything to do with his ability to sell tickets.
The young Dub suffered soley because of what people refer to as ‘the climate’ surrounding boxing in Dublin at present.
With that in mind he feels he is best served plying his trade in a England, although he does have Irish title ambitions and has a message of warning for any potential domestic lightweight rivals.
“I believe there’s a lot more opportunity and boxing shows in England. Fighting here will definitely speed up my career a lot and make up for some lost time. But it also gets my name out there too. I’m only 21 I have plenty of time to pursue anything I want to do in life.
“For the moment I’m just looking at building my record showing off my skills and then go onto titles next year. Whoever is holding the Irish title at the time should be worried,” he adds before he explains how he ended up in England and under the guidance of Alex Matvienko.
“After my third fight got cancelled and with no sign of a back up fight for me I didn’t want to waste another training camp, so I came to Bolton where my sister is situated and went to the local professional gym ‘Elite’.
” I was drawn in from day one. It’s a very open gym and it’s like one big family. The main coach Alex Matvienko took me under his wing and honestly the man is a boxing genius. I’ve had great coaches along my path to becoming and being a professional but he’s on another level. Boxers travel from all over the central area of England to train in the gym which shows the level of class the gym is at.”
