Pete’s ready to rumble
GEELONG slugger Peter Davenport admits he’s “entering the unknown” as he prepares for his next professional bout.
Davenport, who will fight China’s Wang Shaowei in the blockbuster co-promoted AFC-Kunlun Fight card at Melbourne Pavilion tonight, declared he knows about the 19year-old kickboxer.
“He’s had a lot of fights in China, and we’ve got the basics on him, but that’s it,” Davenport said. “His pro (MMA) record says 3-0, but apparently he’s had 30 fights, so I don’t know what to expect.
“All I know is he’s had a couple of good finishes that we found online and he’s had a couple of fights in Russia, so he’s pretty tough.”
Contracted to Kunlun Fight’s kickboxing division, Wang is a rising welterweight, standing at 182cm tall.
“I prepared for my last opponent, and we were more than happy with him, but this guy I’m probably a little bit unsure about him,” Davenport said. “We’ll probably feel it out early and see where it goes, but I’m happy to stand with him.
“We’re ready. (Trainer) Rich Poole has got me in really good shape and it’s not going to matter what he does, we’ll adjust and fight.”
Davenport is coming off a powerful performance against American Harris Norwood, dispatching the veteran via TKO in Round 2 of their bout in China last April.
It was a confidence boost for the 32-year-old, who is maturing as a fighter after making a late entry into MMA in 2013. “I didn’t get the amateur experience, I’ve just been thrown in the deep end, and now I’m a totally different fighter,” Davenport said. “I’m not worrying about that last win, I don’t remember any of my wins, I just worry about now. I just want to win now, win again and keep moving forward.”
Originally scheduled to enter the boxing ring a couple of months ago, only for the bout to be cancelled, Davenport said he has a “strong fitness base” after six weeks of solid preparation.