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Search forFighter Brown vows to learn from loss
Thursday, November 20, 2008, 07:00
Gutsy Brown was left bloodied but in true pugilistic fashion unbowed from his second career defeat, on points to Gatis Skuja in the pair's international light middleweight bill-topper at the Guildhall last Saturday night.
The Cosmo Gym fighter admitted he had been surprised at the tactics employed by the London-based Latvian in what turned out to be a gruelling six-rounder.
Brown, who turned pro last year, had not anticipated the aggressive approach adopted by Skuja, who, particularly in the second half of the contest, did his best to bully the 29-year-old out of his rhythm.
It worked for Skuja, who returned to the capital with a 59-57 points victory on referee Grant Wallis' card.
Brown also found out to his cost in his third contest in May, that the professional game is unforgiving when he was counted out in the fourth round of his bout with Ollie Newham in Leicester.
But Brown, who finished the bout with Skuja with cuts to both eyes and his nose, said it is all part of the learning process, albeit a painful one, and his belief in his ability has not wavered.
Neither has his determination to both adapt his approach and to bounce back.
"I hadn't underestimated him, but Skuja certainly surprised me because he hadn't fought like that against Mark Thompson a month earlier," said Brown of his opponent who had been warned by Wallis after clashing heads with the Plymothian on more than one occasion.
"I tried to keep away with my jab, but he fought a lot more inside than I'd expected.
"I suppose coming from the amateurs as I had done, there's not so much work done inside.
"That's something I'm going to have to do, work a lot more close up.
"Although I was gutted to lose, I'm learning all the time and all this experience will help me in the future."
Brown's trainer, Glyn Mitchell had nothing but praise for his fighter, and said: "I was proud of him because he showed a lot of heart.
"He's a tough kid and he can come again. It's still a learning curve for Paul.
"But when you face somebody like Gatis, who uses different tactics than when he fought Mark Thompson a couple of weeks ago, it's difficult to prepare."
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