Thomas Stalker fighting back from defeat to Jack Catterall

THOMAS STALKER, the captain of Britainโ€™s last Olympic team, suffered a devastating defeat when he fought Jack Catterall in October. To rebuild he has joined forces with trainer Danny Vaughan.

โ€œNothing went right for me. I was just ashamed at how bad I boxed,โ€ Stalker said of the loss. โ€œBut its not like Iโ€™m not with [Seamus Macklin] now I got beat. He didnโ€˜t have the time as much, heโ€˜s based back in Birmingham. Iโ€˜m staying in Marbella. Iโ€™m happy Iโ€™m with Danny Vaughan. Iโ€™ve got a big year coming up. Iโ€™m trying to do lightweight as well for this fight. Iโ€™m going to weigh at 9st 12lbs and see how I feel.โ€

Heโ€™ll be doing his strength, conditioning and nutrition with Jason Lowndes, aka โ€œThe Taffanatorโ€. โ€œI didnโ€™t diet in camp,โ€ Stalker explained. โ€œI was three pounds over on the morning of the weigh in. I ended up going two pounds underโ€ฆ Itโ€™s my own fault. Thatโ€™s not why I got beat. Obviously I didnโ€™t turn up on the day, I boxed terrible. Itโ€™s a learning curve now.

โ€œTaffโ€™s done my diet plan now. He does all my food. So itโ€™s nice to have a plan and see the weight gradually coming off.โ€

Thomas insists, โ€œI got beat by the better man on the day but Iโ€™m just saying youโ€™ve got to take everything seriousโ€ฆ Every time we sparred I thought I was the better boxer but in the fight I just couldnโ€™t get away from his jab. I was getting hit with everything.

โ€œI have good timing but his timing was a lot better, he was beating me to the punch and that doesnโ€™t really happen with me. But it happened in the fight.

โ€œYouโ€™ve got to give respect to Jack and he did really well in the fight.โ€

Catterall will continue to work his way up the rankings. He boxes Cesar David Inalef on the March 6 bill headlined by Paul Butler at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. Stalker will fight on the same show against Michael Mooney.

โ€œItโ€™s an up and down sport but nothing went right for me on the night. Iโ€™m going to come back from it,โ€ Thomas promised. โ€œIโ€™ve got a great team behind me, great people behind me. Itโ€™s just rebounding back now and getting back to the top. Derry Mathews has lost nine fights, heโ€™s now fighting for a world title. Thatโ€™s inspiration to never give up and always stick with it, that says it all really.โ€

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