‘The whole arena thought I won’ – Ruadhan Farrell ‘Heartbroken’ after ‘Robbery’
A heartbroken Ruadhan Farrell feels robbed of a massive win as a fighter and a huge personal moment as a father.
The relatively new Dad took himself away from his young daughter to prepare for his Belfast derby with Gerard Hughes on Saturday’s Belfast Matchroom card – and promised to make the sacrifice worthwhile.
Not that the newborn would understand but the super bantamweight dreamt of being able to return home to tell his daughter he ‘done it’.
It’s a moment he believes he was unjustly denied and is heartbroken as a result.
“I would have been proud to go back home and say ‘I’ve done it’ but I go back devastated. I’ve lost, it broke my heart. I wanted to win my first fight as a father,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.
What the win could have done for his career is also not lost on the Ian Gaughran-managed fighter.
“I’m absolutely heartbroken. It was the opportunity of a lifetime fighting on a Matchroom show. Everything I’ve gone through… I just felt this was my moment,” he adds before expressing his shock at the drawn card.
“To give that a draw? If I was being nice I’d give Gerard two rounds, maybe the first two, I won the last four easy. The whole arena said I won but it’s boxing.
“I’m barely marked, blood was flying out of him. I was landing the heavier shots, I was the busier fighter and I was putting pressure from the first bell to the last bell. Ger was throwing ones and twos I landed fours and fives, that should win you the fight.”
The entertaining nature of the fight, the result, and the controversy surrounding a result some are now arguing is fair, all point to a big rematch.
Farrell is certainly keen and hopes the repeat is for a title and on a Matchroom card.
“I’m happy to go ahead for a rematch,” he adds.
“I just spoke to Eddie Hearn and I said ‘Eddie what do you think of the fight?’ and he said ‘you won, you won clear.’ Hopefully, he gives me an opportunity next year on a big show and I’ll perform even better. We can do a rematch for the Celtic title. Let’s hope we can go again.”
