Enigmatic boxer Ben Day (8-2-1) has reflected upon his first stoppage loss, claiming to welcome his mistakes for future learning.
The 38-year-old from London suffered from a training camp fraught with difficulties that meant he could only dedicate three weeks of preparation towards the championship bout on December 3rd last year.
Former gym mate Michael Devine (15-5-1) defeated Day in the second round to claim the vacant Southern Area lightweight championship and handed him his first career-stoppage in front of a packed York Hall.
Both fighters entered the ring with the same ambitions to exit as a two-weight Area champion, however their preparations for the championship clash couldn’t have been further apart.
Teignmouth-born Day reflected, “In hindsight, I can see now that I shouldn’t have fought. I was underprepared with a three-week training camp, but you have to take risks to become a Southern Area champion.
“I never ever thought I’d be put on my arse, but I had funerals to attend, two suicides to deal with, and was up and down the country visiting a friend in hospital.
“I’m not making excuses because he caught me with a good shot, but it wasn’t the perfect camp, but it’s all experience.
“I went into the fight without being 100 per cent but don’t tell me that Floyd Mayweather hasn’t got in the ring without injures over the past 19 years.
“I was advised not to fight but I would have felt bad for Michael Devine to let him down because of what happened with Floyd Moore – he pulled out of their scheduled fight.”
Day and Devine are both signed to Goodwin Promotions and trained by Rod Julian in Essex.
The 27-year-old from Luton, known as Chunky, floored Day with a well-timed right hand midway through the second round. It was the first time in his five-year long career that Day had been taken off his feet.
Ego bruised, dazed but able, Day beat the count and walked towards referee Lee Cook upon instruction, only for the official to controversially waive the fight off.
“I don’t ever want to take anything away from Michael Devine,” said the London-based gym owner, “but it should never have been stopped, it has hurt my ego a bit, and I’ve got to try to sell tickets again for my next fight.
“I was fine,” said the 38-year-old asserted. “No disrespect to Michael Devine because he hit me with a bloody blinding shot but I was absolutely fine.
“However, if that didn’t happen, and I didn’t make those mistakes and pay for them, then I wouldn’t know now not to do that again.”
Prior to the December 3rd bout, Day had fought just 10 times in five years.
“I want to fight more because I’m 38 now,” the Devonian-turned-Londoner admitted. “There’ll be March shows at the York Hall that I’ll be looking to get on.
“I’ll be dropping down to featherweight because I weighed in for my last fight with all my clothes on with two mobile phones in my pocket. I walk around at featherweight level when I’m not in training.”
Day meet with manager Steve Goodwin this week and promises to reveal details of his next fight soon.
THE LIVE WIRE BEN DAY ON HIS PROBLEMS DURING TRAINING CAMP IN THE BUILD TO CLASH W/ MICHAEL DEVINE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL_pia9aR28
To follow Ben Day on Twitter click here @benday32
Ben would like to thank his sponsors Ringtone Boxing Gym and PR Manager Tim Rickson