British flyweight champion Jay Harris is prepared for his subsequent combat.
Six months on from successful the Lonsdale belt after an exhilarating battle in opposition to Tommy Frank, the 33-year-old Welshman spoke to Boxing News to look back on a profession which can not have many fights left.
(Interview by Shaun Brown)
BN: You’ve fought for a world title; you’ve received the European title and the Commonwealth and in May you received the British. How does it really feel to have completed the lot?
JH: Do you know what, it’s sensible. This title meant essentially the most to me. Obviously, I used to be coming off two defeats as properly. It was good to get that probability to combat for the British. I’d fought for the world title, received the European, received the Commonwealth, and the British appeared to get away. To get that chance to combat for it was sensible. And let’s be sincere each British fighter needs to win it. It’s a stupendous belt. It’s been wonderful. It’s good to go down in historical past as a result of my outdated man received it as properly.
BN: You’ve had an ideal profession however how a lot do you assume is left within the Jay Harris story?
JH: I feel we’ve acquired just a little bit left. I feel I perhaps coming to the back finish of my profession now. I’m 34 subsequent 12 months; I’m 33 now, so I’ve acquired a bit left. Not many fights, however I’ve acquired just a little bit left. Me and [trainer] Gary Lockett will take each combat because it comes. No must rush. Take every combat and every step because it comes and see what occurs.
BN: Have you had an opportunity to take a second and replicate in your profession or do you not permit your self to try this?
JH: Of course. Gary Lockett despatched me a message with all the things I’d completed. You look back and you’re like, “Oh Jesus, I have done a lot in a short career.” I’ve solely been skilled since I used to be 21. I’ve completed quite a bit in these 12 years. I fought some good fighters, fought for a world title, received all the things domestically. Looking back on it, let’s be sincere, if I used to be to retire tomorrow, I’d be a cheerful man as a result of I’ve completed all the things I got down to do. In the start I simply needed to win a title and I’ve surpassed that massive time.
BN: Do you assume you have over-achieved then?
JH: I feel I surpassed what I got down to do. At the beginning of it I’d have been completely satisfied to combat for a British title after which I ended up preventing for the Commonwealth in my tenth combat, received that, after which we had a second the place not a lot occurred. And then rapidly I fought for the European, fought Paddy Barnes, and it snowballed into one after one other. And then I went to Texas and fought [Julio Cesar] Martinez after which on to world title eliminators. When you look back at my profession, it’s what boxers dream about and dream of doing. I’ve completed all of it.
BN: Have you thought of life after boxing or would you reasonably not?
JH: Of course I’ve thought of it [and] tried to place stuff into place. I private prepare fairly a bit now. I take an beginner boxing membership as properly. I’ll at all times be round it. I feel I’d even try to get my supervisor’s licence as properly; see if I can handle just a few fighters. After the boxing’s completed I’ll at all times be round it. This is what I do know. I’ll at all times be part of it.
BN: If issues hadn’t labored out early on, the place do you assume Jay Harris would have ended up?
JH: That’s a tough query! I don’t actually know. When I left college, I didn’t actually know what I needed to do as a result of I used to be simply boxing on a regular basis. But once I was at college, I needed to be a zoologist. I at all times needed to work with animals earlier than I went to Amazon. That’s mad isn’t it. I like animals greater than folks if I’m sincere.
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