IT ALWAYS GETS HARDER
At 69kgs Cyrus Pattison now has to contend with Pat Mccormack
HOW was the training camp in America?
It was really good. It was hard adjusting to the altitude. You could feel it straight away when we got out there. We went for a steady [state run] pretty much as soon as we got there and all the lads, our bodies were just absolutely knackered, our lungs and everything you could feel it straight away. I’ve done WSB in Mexico and that was at altitude but it was nothing compared to Colorado.
The first week, with being jetlagged and stuff, I came down with a chest infection and tonsillitis as well. But I just trained through it… I just had to grind it out.
The food was something else. The thing was sponsored by Mcdonalds. There was a Mcflurry machine and everything. We had to stay away but the temptation was there. Who were you sparring with out there?
I sparred with the American number one, called Quinton Randall. He was meant to do five rounds, three with me then two with Pat [Mccormack]. But after the three with me he just got out the ring and said he’d had enough. The coaches said they would have been 10-8 rounds if it was a bout. So it was a good spar for me anyway. Then I sparred with a lad called Brian Ceballo. He beat Fred Evans in the WSB a while ago. I had good spars with him as well so it was definitely something I benefited from.
I even did a couple of rounds with Shakur Stevenson because he was just floating around the gym. I think he was doing rounds with everyone.
What have you go coming up?
I’ve got the Bocskai next week and then the WSB in France at the end of the month. Then probably the month after there’s Chemistry Cup.
Your weight class keeps getting tougher and tougher, now you’ve got Pat Mccormack and Carl Fail to deal with.
You’ve just got to keep fighting haven’t you. [Pat Mccormack], we’re both from Birtley. So I’ve sparred with him for years. He was big for 64kgs so I think he couldn’t make 64 anymore and he’s moved up. It is what is really, you’ve just got to focus on yourself. I’m here for me at the end of the day. I want the Europeans and the Worlds as much as he does. The coach was saying selection starts now. It’s how you act and how you train and how you perform. It’s one fight at a time and hopefully I’ll keep working hard and I’ll get what I want.