The Lightning Bolt – Lloyd Ellett
I took a well-deserved break over Christmas after a long and strenuous training camp, pushed to my limits by former undisputed World champion Lloyd Honeyghan.
I worked so hard, felt the fittest I had ever been, bashed up everyone in sparring, and felt like a new fighter inspired by ‘The Ragamuffin Man’ who conquered the World in the 1980s.
I went into the fight against unbeaten prospect Ted Cheeseman on November 26 exuding confidence and I got off to a flying start, roughing him up on the inside and clearly won the first round.
Then, in the second round, I got caught with a big right hand but I wasn’t hurt badly. I have been hurt worse than that before in a boxing ring and carried on just fine. However, the referee jumped in way too quick and it was all over before it barely got started.
I am deeply gutted at the outcome and if I had thought that I had deserved to lose, then I honestly would have walked away from this sport and said that I just wasn’t good enough.
However, I know that the result was not a true reflection of the contest and the feedback that I received afterwards was all the same thing – everyone telling me that I was winning the fight and that it shouldn’t have been stopped.
Another of Eddie Hearn’s undefeated prospects Jake Ball fought after me and was well gone after a big shot from his opponent JJ McDonagh and should have been stopped but the same ref allowed it to carry on for as long as possible. He didn’t jump in and stop the fight when it was his employer’s boxer that was in trouble.
My trainer Lloyd Honeyghan said the ref knew what side his bread was buttered on!
Next, I’m hoping for another worthwhile fight – no backwards steps. I’ve not had a real chance to show what I can do at welterweight, having fought at light-middle for most of my career.
I realise that 154lbs is too big for me but if the opportunity at that weight is too good to turn down, then I’ll still jump at the chance.
This experience will not put me off fighting on a Matchroom show again, I’ll never turn a fight down from Eddie Hearn that’s televised live on Sky Sports. I have just got to go out there all guns blazing and leave nothing to chance.
I’ll take it easy for the next couple of weeks, I’ll still tick over with some training, running and strength work, then look at what offers we receive.
I think Ted Cheeseman will do well at light-middle, he’s a big, strong kid at that weight and I wish him well.
I’m not bitter, it’s a controversial sport that’s also the toughest in the world. I am gutted, obviously, especially after I trained so hard for so long.
I had 200 fans that came out to support me on the night with just a couple of weeks notice so I’d like to say thank you to all that came and to my manager Scott Welch, Lloyd Honeyghan and my sponsors Jade Global, The Shore Group and Pingala Media.
To follow Lloyd Ellett on Twitter click here @lighningbolt07