“In the build-up to this fight I was going to bed nervous every night” – Caoimhin Agyarko looks back on career-best win against Troy Williamson

By Shaun Brown

“My body’s in agony but that’s to be expected.”

Caoimhin Agyarko was simply making an attempt to get his day going when answering a name from Boxing News. After a profession-boosting victory on Saturday night time (December 2), the Northern Irishman reviewed his efficiency against Troy Williamson in Belfast and instructed us all about battling nerves in the build-up and revealed the title he feels he can now go on and problem for.

BN: Reflecting on your win against Troy Williamson, what did you consider your efficiency?

CA: I haven’t watched it back but, however I assume in the second and at the time I felt like I was boxing very properly. Personally, I thought the first six rounds have been very easy to be trustworthy. Lots of people mentioned I misplaced perhaps one in every of the early rounds; the third or fourth. It was simpler than anticipated throughout the first six. The seventh and eighth have been a bit powerful after which I coasted the final two. That was most likely my greatest efficiency to date. I confirmed just a little little bit of the whole lot. I traded with him when I had to, I out-jabbed him, I used my feints, I used my footwork, I out-boxed him when I had to, so there was a little bit of the whole lot on Saturday night time.

BN: The fight was overvalued and rightly so. Did you are feeling any pre-fight nerves?

CA: I don’t get nervous for fights which may be very insane. I usually have to make myself nervous in the altering rooms.

BN: How do you go about making your self nervous?

CA: I simply undergo situations that might occur in the fight. Sometimes unfavourable situations like, if I get caught with a sure shot, what would I do? It makes me nervous. I envision getting caught or clipped or put down. That makes me nervous. Having nerves is an effective factor since you’re a bit sharper and zoned in. In the build-up to this fight, for the final eight or 9 weeks, I was going to bed nervous every single night time. And I was like, “Fuck, this is new to me.” I thought on the night time I can be very, very nervous. But the complete fight week, after which the fight night time, I wasn’t nervous one bit. I thought strolling out to that crowd, eight thousand Irish followers screaming my title, I’d be nervous, however I wasn’t nervous one bit. I relished the second and took it during which I was glad about as a result of I knew how to take care of my feelings then. It wasn’t like I was having to take care of my feelings whereas being nervous as properly.

BN: What did you consider Troy Williamson as an opponent?

CA: I’ve all the time rated him as fighter. I didn’t actually really feel his energy; it didn’t have an effect on me. I positively felt his stress. He’s a entrance-foot fighter, very non-cease coming ahead, and [he] didn’t take a step back. He’s an excellent fighter and has nonetheless obtained rather a lot left to give. He’s all the time going to be in thrilling fights along with his fashion. It was by no means something private [between us]. People have been making an attempt to construct it up as one thing private. I all the time mentioned it was by no means private, this is enterprise to me. He shocked me in phases as a result of I anticipated him to press the motion earlier in the fight and he didn’t actually. I thought he would have been non-cease from the first bell and wasn’t. He gave me a little bit of respiration room [in] the first two rounds however yeah, I fee Troy.

BN: Just as the remaining bell rang you appeared to set free a launch of emotion figuring out you’d gained. Winning that fight clearly meant rather a lot.

CA: Definitely. That fight meant rather a lot to me [but] not as a result of there was quite a lot of stress on my shoulders. Lots of people have been saying this was a make-or-break fight for Caoimhin Agyarko which I didn’t perceive. I was 13-0, I solely simply turned 27 final Wednesday. Very younger and never many fights. For individuals to say it was make-or-break when I’ve by no means taken a loss was very unusual to me. So, individuals have been including stress to my shoulders by saying I’m going to fold underneath the stress against Troy, he’s too good, he’s fought at a greater stage blah-blah-blah, I’ve by no means confirmed myself… this, that and the different. There was quite a lot of doubters. It was back residence in Belfast, there was quite a lot of stress on my shoulders, and I did really feel that for the first time ever. It was good to set free that little bit of stress which I’ve been holding in the for the final eight weeks. It was launch. When I walked back to my altering room I mentioned to my coach, “Thank fuck that’s over. We got it done and proved everybody wrong.”

BN: You’ve now crushed a former British champion, so is the plan now to enhance on that and face somebody even higher subsequent day out?

CA: My foremost aim is exercise. I’ve simply come off a troublesome fight and win for me; a fantastic title. But I clearly need to hold progressing and hold placing good names on the file and testing myself. I’ll sit down with my supervisor subsequent week and assess what’s subsequent and what route we wish to go down.

BN: So, what do you do now for the remainder of 2023? Are you going to get time to get pleasure from Christmas?

CA: Enjoy Christmas, positively. That was an extended camp. I’ve been away from my family and friends since the begin of August. I made quite a lot of sacrifices in camp. I missed my birthday, I missed good friend’s birthdays, I missed sure issues that I would love to have attended. I was away from my girlfriend, too. So, I need to get pleasure from Christmas with my family and friends after which I’ll be heading back to camp finish of January. I’ll nonetheless practice over Christmas however shall be back to camp January and we’ll then plan for an enormous 2024.

BN: Would you want a shot at the European title? You talked about sitting down with your individual staff, however you could have your individual ambitions.

CA: Definitely. I’ve mentioned you may’t skip ranges in boxing. My plan in 2023 was to goal for the European title however once more inactivity and accidents stored me out of the ring, so it wasn’t potential. I had surgical procedure at the begin of the 12 months. I assume I’m in place to go and problem for a European title; get myself into place for a European title after which on to world honours.