Conrad Cummings fights back

Conrad Cummings

WE all see the entrance. When a boxer marches to his fight, the crowd on either side, cheers merge with blaring music, and the bright lights illuminate the ring. Few stay to see them walk away, when a defeated fighter takes a lonely route back to his changing room.

It was a sensation Conrad Cummings never expected to experience when he fought Ronny Mittag at Wembley Arena last year, denied on a split decision on his own promoterโ€™s show. โ€œYou donโ€™t really ever think about it,โ€ Conrad recalled. โ€œYou walk out with all the crowd cheering. Walking back, I donโ€™t want to ever experience it again. Just itโ€™s horrible. I think I would have felt not as bad if I felt I had genuinely lost the fight.

โ€œI thought I lost three rounds if I was being harsh. I thought I won the fight convincingly. I didnโ€™t get the decision and I wonโ€™t lie it felt like the end of the world to me. I was absolutely heartbroken. I felt I was cheated out of my first title.โ€

But he added, โ€œAll it did was make me more determined.โ€

In a peculiar way he now feels liberated. He bounced back to win a WBO European strap against Gogi Knezevic, a belt which he is set to defend against Robert Swierzbinski on Saturday in Belfast. โ€œItโ€™s made me the fighter I think I am now,โ€ he said. โ€œIโ€™ve took the weight of the world off my shoulders. Sometimes you do carry the weight, for no real reason, sometimes I put myself under that pressure. I feel great. I feel in a good place. Iโ€™ve one loss which I didnโ€™t lose. Iโ€™ve moved on.โ€

So far though Cummings feels he has not been boxing to his potential. โ€œI boxed at the highest level as an amateur, won gold medals all over the world, Irish titles, I boxed in WSB with Mexico, I boxed World champions, I beat World champions as an amateur, an Olympic silver medallist,โ€ he said. โ€œI was putting that pressure on myself. I was just over-trying. Thatโ€™s not a bad thing, I believe thatโ€™s a good thing. Thatโ€™s going to stand me in good stead, the pressureโ€™s off me.โ€

He is working his way towards a shot at Billy Joe Saunders WBO European title. โ€œSaunders is a phenomenal champion. Heโ€™s beaten everyone put in front of him, Eubank included,โ€ Cummings noted.โ€

โ€œHeโ€™s got what I want,โ€ Conrad added. โ€œI feel it could happen soon.

conrad cummings

โ€œMy dream has always been to become a world champion.โ€

And he warns, โ€œI get there in the end. I always do. Iโ€™ve had a few bumps and bruises on the road. That makes the story more interesting. My storyโ€™s never been straightforward. But Iโ€™ll tell you as a fact, I always get there.โ€

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