BARNES’ WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY

New European champ Paddy has his eyes on even bigger prizes

watched him, how tough he would be. But he was pretty limited. I was covering up and he kept hitting my gloves. He wasn’t catching me and hurting me.

“Maybe the judges liked him doing that and that’s why I lost some rounds.”

Saturday night was the first time Barnes competed over 10 rounds.

“I didn’t really find it tough going down the stretch,” he said.

“I didn’t gas out, I just felt tired every round because they were all really tough.

“He hit me with a proper shot early on but I wasn’t hurt or anything. It just caught me off balance.”

And the Belfast man thanked the fans who turned out to cheer him to the rafters.

“The reception was great and I am glad it was a tough fight because people will come back to watch me,” he added.

“This is the kind of fight people like to see so hopefully they went home happy. “It is better than fighting journeymen. “It gives me a lot of confidence. It is my first 10- rounder in what is only my third pro fight and it was against a very good opponent.”