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Search forDrake keen to put defeat behind him
Tuesday, November 04, 2008, 07:00
Drake will be stepping up to middleweight for his six-rounder with Lester Walsh on Chris Sanigar's five-bout professional card.
Drake will share top billing with fellow Plymothian and middleweight Paul Brown, who is matched with durable London-based Latvian Gatis Skuja.
Brown's Cosmo Gym stablemate, Gavin Brook is also in action and will trade leather with middleweight Rocky Chakir.
Another city favourite David 'Dezzy' O'Connor will aiming to record his fourth professional victory in his six-rounder with Reading lightweight Ibrar Riyaz.
The card is completed with the third pro outing for of Torquay welterweight Ben Wakeham who has Londoner Johnny Greaves as his opponent.
Last time out, Drake, by his own admission, came out cold and suffered the consequences against hard-hitting Taz Jones at the same venue.
Drake was stopped in the first round of his International Masters light middleweight championship contest with the experienced Welshman.
The 33-year-old Drake, while determined to put the record straight against Walsh in front of his fans, claimed he is not bearing any mental scars from the experience.
He is also confident moving up the middleweight will work to his advantage.
"I am really looking forward to the bout – it's been too long out of the ring for me," said Drake of the June show.
"I haven't lost my confidence or belief in my own ability, if anything I'm more determined.
"Losing to Jones was just one of those things that can happen to boxers.
"I was unprepared for him and not in the right of frame of mind, certainly by the time I got in the ring.
"I don't mean I wasn't ready in terms of conditioning, I'm always very fit.
"But everything seemed rushed on the night and I didn't get time to warm up properly in the dressing room. But I won't be making that mistake again against Walsh.
"And I'm already feeling the benefit of not having to reach the light middleweight limit as I've been struggling to do that in the last couple of fights. I feel a lot stronger and naturally happier at this weight"
There are similarities between the two protagonists as Scotland-born but Leicester-based Walsh is one year younger than Drake and also comes to the Guildhall with a reputation as a crowd-pleaser.
Walsh has a record of two wins, two defeats and a draw from his five pro fights, compared with Drake who is 3-2-1.
For information on ticket prices for the Guildhall show on Saturday November 15, call Bristol Boxing on 0117 949 6699, Rocky Christian on 07779 467 579, Glyn Mitchell on 07813 354 351, Carl Drake on 07738 830783, or Dessie O'Connor on 07877 030621.
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