Jason Quigley maintained his unbeaten record as a professional boxer by delivering a knockout blow against Daniel Rosario in front of an American audience outside Boston.
Quigley had spent a year out of action after undergoing surgery on an injured right hand, but it was his left hand that did the damage as the Donegal native executed a decisive left hook to his opponent’s liver.
But Quigley admitted his method of claiming victory was not exactly something spectators could have expected when he entered the ring.
“To be honest, it’s not a shot that I throw,” Quigley told Off The Ball.
“Obviously, I think everybody knows that Ingle Gym is not known for doing too much open sparring and doing a lot of body sparring.
“And maybe that’s where that shot came from.”
Performing in front of ESPN cameras in Quincy, outside Boston, the prospect of another knockout victory appeared an opportunity too good to turn down.
But despite sealing his 11th career knockout victory, Quigley insisted he did not allow his mind to drift too far from his game plan.
“The way I have explained things before...when we – as boxers- step into the ring, when we get through those ropes, you could say we’re kind of like gladiators in the Coliseum,” Quigley added.
“We do crave that attention from the crowd. We want the crowd roaring and cheering our names. But it’s very important for us to concentrate on the game we have ahead of us and the plan that we have.
“Our focus on how to get that victory – we have to stay with our game plan. But at the end of the day, in the heat of the moment, this is a game where you can’t give them a second chance - a shot can change everything.
“This was Rosario’s big chance to state his name and to state his authority. And I knew I was in for one tough night. I did not expect a knockout – being very truthful – but they do call me ‘The Animal’.”
Written by James Hopper
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