By now the world is aware of the story of Josh Padley. The Doncaster electrician who went from putting in photo voltaic panels on Tuesday to preventing pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson on Saturday.
Padley grew to become one of many tales of the week in Saudi Arabia when he answered the late name to step in as a alternative for Floyd Schofield to face Stevenson after the American challenger was taken sick.
He made the WBC light-weight world champion work for 9 rounds earlier than lastly succumbing to a sequence of vicious physique pictures, skyrocketing his inventory and little doubt incomes himself additional alternatives on the Riyadh Season stage.
With life-changing cash comes the prospect to show his full consideration to his profession within the ring.
“Luckily I am in a position now where I can probably pack that in and fully dedicate my life to boxing,” Padley instructed Sky Sports activities. “I am grateful for that, thanks to Turki for giving me that chance, we’ll be again.
“There’s more of that to come. That was four days’ notice. Eight-week camp and I know I’ll be better.”
Stevenson had tried to intimidate Padley throughout a fiery face-off at Friday’s weigh-in, however was pressured to be affected person within the face of a gritty and calculated efficiency from the Yorkshireman the next evening.
His class ultimately did inform as he wore Padley’s defences down, however not earlier than the 29-year-old received himself numerous new followers via his willingness to face and commerce with the champion.
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“I would have loved to have got the win and there would have been some back story to it, but didn’t get it,” stated Padley.
“I tried my hardest, no regrets, I gave it everything I could but the body wasn’t conditioned to take them shots.”
Padley’s alternative had arisen within the wake of September’s unanimous determination win over Mark Chamberlain, who had been a favorite of Turki Alalshikh.
The win in the meantime lifted Stevenson’s document to 23-0 as he adopted up the victory by calling out Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in what would function one of many largest fights in boxing.
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“He was good, there were times when I thought he was out of range and he wasn’t he was in range,” stated Padley. “There are levels to this and he’s clearly a few levels above me at this time.
“I am going to get again within the fitness center, rebuild and hopefully construct again to this degree.
“I’m proud of myself, I did as well as I could, everybody else is proud, no regrets. I’ll come again and fight again.”
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