Boxing: Perkins keen to do even better in Chicago

Oct 24 2007 by David Randles, Liverpool Daily Post

NEIL PERKINS emerged from the 2005 World Championships as one of the top four welterweights on the planet.

He also became only the third Englishman in history to reach the podium at this level and the Kirkdale boxer returned home a hero.

Brushing aside the then European silver medallist, Armenia’s Savmal Matevosyan by a massive 18 points to reach the last four, Perkins was tipped to go all the way at 69kg in China’s Mianyang city. However, a surprise 33-21 semi-final defeat to Belarusian, Magomed Nurudinov meant he had to settle for bronze.

It was a fantastic achievement but one he wants to better in Chicago this time around.

“Everything has gone to plan so far,” Perkins told the Daily Post. “The training has been great, the weights work has been good, and I’m feeling great.

“It is important not to get ahead of yourself though, and just take each fight as it comes. That’s where I went wrong last time out. I had one eye on the final and wasn’t focusing on the semi-final enough. I bring that experience to Chicago with me and, hopefully, can prove I’ve learned from it.”

As one of the more senior members of theElite England squad, his team-mates have been turning to him for advice and tips at what is the first of three qualifying tournaments for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“The lads have being asking what it was like to go as far as I did two years ago,” reveals the 26-year-old. “I just try to tell them to box as if it was a normal fight. If you think about it too much it makes it harder. There is always going to be pressure in the major tournaments but there’s even more here because this is an Olympic qualifier.

“Personally, I love the pressure. But if you think about how big this is it can make you too nervous and affect your performance.

“There are more boxers at these World Championships than ever before, over 600. It is huge but I did well last time and I take confidence from that.”