'All I thought of was raising the belt' - O'Doherty

BBC News

3 days ago

Unbeaten Louie O'Doherty is hoping to move into the British title picture after becoming English lightweight champion in stamina-sapping conditions at York Hall in Bethnal Green.The 24-year-old from Braintree improved his professional record to 10-0 with a unanimous points win over the more experienced Youssef Khoumari last weekend."I don't know exactly [what the temperature was] but we had referees coming into the changing room after each fight to get a bit of the aircon and complaining about how hot it was in there," O'Doherty told BBC Essex's Sports Extra show. "That was after six rounds and I thought 'I've got to double that'. I knew I was in for it. We knew at that point that the hydration and nutrition side of it was key. It was extremely hot but I am used to training in hot temperatures in the gym."The fight was his first over 12 rounds, just over two years on from his pro debut and he was a clear winner against an opponent who was in his 21st contest."He's fought on bigger stages than me and has had double the amount of experience I've had and also fought some top-level fighters," said O'Doherty, who divides his time between training and working as a gymnastics coach. "It was just a brilliant fight for me to have to get my name up there. All I had in my head was the thought of raising that belt and it's brilliant, the hard work's paying off and I'm going to keep working because I want more." He added: "I've done four, six, eight, 10 and that was my first 12-rounder. It suits me, I like the extra volume (of rounds), it becomes more of a mental battle then. Rounds nine and 10 on, you can train as hard as you want but that's when the mind comes into play. I'm very strong minded and it plays into my hands."O'Doherty took up boxing after earlier dalliances with football and gymnastics, although the latter remains an important part of his life."My dad always loved boxing, we always had gloves on at home, me and my older brother and my dad, and one day he took me down to Chelmsford boxing club and I loved it and kept going. "I wasn't very good at the start, my brother was better than me which was quite annoying, but I stuck to it."Sam Noakes is the current British lightweight champion and someone who could be on O'Doherty's future hit-list.He is, though, content to progress in stages and is waiting to see what his management come up with next. O'Doherty added: "Hopefully, if there's a British title eliminator, great. Or for me to defend the English [instead], that's a decision for them to make. Whatever they tell me to do, I'm going to do it as well as I can."