LUKE VOWS TO GET EVEN BETTER AFTER FIRST WIN
WASHINGTON BOXER MCCORMACK GETS COMMONWEALTH GAMES OFF TO FLYING START
Luke McCormack was still in fight mode even after the final bell as he fired a warning shot to his rivals that only better boxing displays will come despite recording a dominant opening victory.
The 22-year-old used a smart defence and an efficient combination of punches to breeze past Uganda’s Kavuma Ssemujju with a unanimous points win in the men’s light welterweight category.
Despite the allure of sandy beaches and blue seas, the top of the podium is the only place the Washington boxer wants to visit at his debut Commonwealth Games.
And McCormack insists the sterner the test, the better he’ll box on his way to Gold Coast gold.
“I’m so glad to get the first one out of the way,” he said. “It’s been a long travel, it’s been a long week so it’s good to get that out of the way and shake a little bit of ring rust and I’ll be firing on all cylinders in my next fight.
“I’ve felt good, the first bout, all the nerves in the new area, everything’s different.
“He had a different fighting style coming from Africa, you don’t really box the Africans that much so it was a little bit different but I got through with flying colours and I’m on to the next one.
“It was quite a comfortable fight. As soon as his head was down I was just bringing his head up every time with uppercut, hook and then just turning off and it got me out of danger.
“I get better every fight, 100 percent. The better the opponent the better I box and I’ll beat everyone here.”
Despite his supremacy shining through, McCormack still had to avoid the dangers of fighting a wild and rather unknown opponent, who threw recklessly from the opening bell and resorted to throwing several punches after the bell had sounded for the second round.
But McCormack believes if he can continue to improve and avoid any bad luck he will be rewarded.
“Igavehimalittlejabback, didn’t I,” said McCormack of his opponent’s antics.
“I had to, I couldn’t let people try and hit me after the bell. I was just scared of his head. My last fight in the WSB [World Series of Boxing] I got cut so I was really trying to keep his head out of my way and so I was just stepping off and trying to outbox him.
“As soon as I caught him with my jab it kind of stopped him in his tracks and then he got a little bit desperate. I was just dealing with him in the last round.”