We have a plan and were sticking to it was the clear message from former European and Prizefighter champion Willie Casey today as it became clear he would not be a last minute replacement for Kiko Martinez who this week dropped out of his planned European title clash with Belfast’s Carl Frampton.
Following speculation that the former European champion would provide Irelands boxing aficionado with its second all-Ireland continental dust-up of 2011, it was today agreed by Casey and his management team that there would be no last minute deviations from their current course.
Making changes to fighting style
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“We talked long and hard about jumping in against Frampton, but it was something we were never comfortable with from the beginning. When I signed with my new manager Gary Hyde we all set down including my coaches and we devised a plan that we believe will return me to European champion, taking a fight with two weeks’ notice was I can assure you never part of the plan, we have a plan and we are sticking to it”.
Having spent the last five weeks in Belfast training under new coaching team of Sean and Paul McCullough for his comeback fight against Daniel Kodjo on the 17th September in the Kings Hall Belfast, the Limerick fighter believes his preparation is quite a distance short of what’s required for a twelve round European title fight.
“I have been up in Belfast for the last five weeks getting ready for my upcoming fight with Daniel Kodjo. My new team have been working with me around making changes to my fighting style, I am seeing the benefits already in sparring but we are still very early on in the process and they felt I needed to give myself more time. I am fighting Kodjo over eight rounds and my sparring and fitness work has been structured with this in mind so it’s clear for anybody who understands boxing to see that the timing of the offer to replace Martinez was wrong, plain and simple” Casey told www.boxing-ireland.com.
Last 5 weeks in Belfast
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While Big Bang would certainly have been the fans choice from a replacement list that includes mandatory challenger, Rendell Munroe and number two contender Arsen Martirosyan, the Southill native is confident that fighting Carl Frampton on September 10th would not be in his best interest.
“I have to make decisions that are right for me, not what suits other people, boxing is my career and I must be professional in how I move forward, I have great people around me and I also trust what they tell me. I was European champion and I am confident I will win that title again, but we will move forward on our own terms at our own pace”.
“I’m really happy with how things have gone for me over the last couple of months, Im training in Belfast for the last five week and I am already seeing the improvements. I am focused on my fight in the Kings Hall on the 17th of September, it will be no walk in the park but once I get the win we can then take our next step”.
