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I won’t wave the right this time – I’ll just plant it in his face, says Keeler

Luke Keeler’s right hand will be dancing across the face of Tom Doran rather than in the air when the pair meet on April 2, suggests the Dublin middleweight.

‘Cool Hand’ was anything but cool with his right in his first bout with the Welsh fighter in a Prizefighter semi final last year, hoisting it aloft showboating style more than throwing it. It is something he has taken jovial stick for since, but Keeler is usually more about getting the job done without the frills and flamboyance.

However on the occasion of his first and only defeat he had a broken right hand and was told if he couldn’t throw it to make use of it somehow.

Regardless, Keeler claims it will all hands on deck when the pair fight for the WBC International title live on Sky Sports this coming Saturday.  The right hand, he says, will be used to inflict pain rather than distract.

I know now I will be relaxed this time,” he told Irish-boxing.com.

“I was all over the place mentally with the damaged hand (in the first fight with Doran) and I was jumping around. I got a lot of stick about show boating, but I was told to use the hand anyway I could, make use of it even though I was hurt, so I waved it in the air and that. There will be no show boating this time I will just be planting the right hand on his head.”

Doran represents the only fighter to beat Keeler, but the Ballyfermot native is adamant he has nothing to fear come Saturday.

The Pascal Collins trained middleweight, who claims victory on Saturday will bring him to the next level, is confident with two working hands, he can reverse the decision.

In fact Keeler is adamant he will emerge victorious in Liverpool in front of the Sky Cameras.

“I know 100 percent I have the beating of him,” he continued.  “I don’t mean that in a cocky way it’s just an honest answer. I looked back on the fight and I landed the right hand 15 times and I was in agony with it. It went in the first round of the first fight and I was in serious pain. I was just trying to use the jab and I ended up jumping in with it and even though I was all over the place it was still a close fight and anyone that watches it back says it is hard to call.”

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