Billy Pickles Reflects on Victory Over Keanen Wainwright
Billy Pickles emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter against Keanen Wainwright, earning a hard-fought decision after 10 relentless rounds. The bout, characterized by nonstop action and intense exchanges, showcased the determination and skill of both fighters.
Pickles shared his thoughts on the fight, emphasizing the intensity of the contest. “Well, we both went to war! I just think it was a great fight, we both put literally everything into it and it was nonstop for 10 rounds. We both have a good engine and gave it everything but obviously I got the decision, so I’m absolutely buzzing!” he exclaimed.
Prior to the fight, Pickles expressed confidence in his boxing skills, believing they would be the key to victory. However, the bout didn’t unfold as initially planned. “We thought that I would box him but after the first round we had to change the game plan because he was quite sharp and kept catching me with his backhand – with him being a southpaw and me orthodox – so we had to change things,” Pickles explained. Adapting his strategy, he focused on cutting off Wainwright’s range and nullifying his sharp backhand. “I got stuck in and had to cut his range off and that sharp backhand that he’s got, and it worked for me.”
The fight turned into a battle of attrition, with both fighters engaging in constant close-quarters combat. Pickles credited his high work rate for the victory. “We were constantly fighting on the inside and with my work rate, I outworked him. I don’t think they expected that, they expected me to just try and outbox him for 10 rounds, but I fought him. I set a high work rate for the 10 rounds and didn’t know whether he’d have been able to keep up with that.”
Wainwright, known for his punching power, did manage to test Pickles early on. “In the first round he caught me square on and I went down but bounced straight back up. He was definitely strong on the inside and carries a lot of power, but I kind of expected that,” Pickles admitted.
Reflecting on the significance of the victory, Pickles regarded it as a milestone in his career. “It’s definitely the best win of my career, and people will sit up and take notice of this win. But there’s a lot more to come, every fight’s a learning fight and I’ll take a lot away from it,” he stated.
In a display of sportsmanship, Pickles had kind words for his opponent. “Keanen’s a great fighter and he’ll come back from it and will also learn a lot from it, I’m sure. He’s a great kid and a great fighter. I’m sure he’ll go back to the drawing board and work on stuff that probably didn’t go right for them on the night, but that’s what his coach is there for. All the best to him though and I hope he does well in his career now as well.”
As for his future plans, Pickles indicated a brief rest is in order following the demanding fight. “I’ll probably have a bit of a rest for a little bit now because it was a tough fight, but I’ll speak with Dennis [Hobson] and see what the plan of action is. I think this win against Keanen has seriously put me on the map, a lot of people will have seen it and I’m hoping it’s going to open some big doors for me,” he concluded.
The boxing community eagerly awaits what’s next for Billy Pickles, who has undoubtedly solidified his reputation with this impressive victory.
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