Pegg: I’m proud of River’s performance

River Wilson-Bent…gave his all against top American

MANAGER Jon Pegg has voiced pride in the performance of River Wilson-Bent following the lean middleweight’s defeat at the hands of former superb US amateur Austin “Ammo” Williams.

On the AJ undercard at the 02 Arena last night (Saturday), the Coventry fighter was saved in the eighth when his corner threw in the towel. Wilson-Bent had been down in the previous round.

It was the right decision: Wilson-Bent hadn’t been overly hurt, but was on the cusp of being hurt. He hadn’t got enough in the tank to pull something out of the bag in the last three rounds.

Resilience was ebbing from him like air from a punctured tyre.

But for the first six sessions, the 29-year-old had tested Houston’s Williams and exposed flaws. Ammo seemed too intent on loading up single shots.

When the American – now unbeaten in 14 - moved to another gear, River struggled to stay with him.

That was the difference.

Wilson-Bent’s only other foray into fringe world class ended disastrously, with big punching Hamzah Sheeraz overwhelming him in two rounds.

Before last night’s scheduled 10 rounder, the general consensus was Williams would create similar carnage.

The fact that he didn’t shows progress has been made, post Sheeraz, and lessons learnt.

Before the bout, Pegg was in pragmatic mood. He told me on Saturday morning: “We know we’re up against it, but you can’t win a big fight unless you’re in a big fight.”

Those words suggested a team not prepared to let their fighter take sustained punishment in the faint hope Williams would gas or River would find a shot to gain dramatic victory.

“That was a five times better River Wilson-Bent than the one who lost to Sheeraz,” Pegg said on Sunday morning. “He can compete at domestic level, we knew that. He showed (last night) he can compete at this level. He’s improved and he is still learning.

“I thought River boxed well, I had him winning rounds. Before the knockdown, I had him winning three rounds, losing three rounds.

“The game plan was to keep that work-rate going. As soon as River slowed, Williams got big shots off.

“Williams is a phenomenal athlete, that’s what he is, but River showed he’s a work in progress. If River had a bit more self confidence, he could’ve really pushed him back.

“It was a big step on a big bill and I was pleased River didn’t freeze, didn’t let the occasion get to him. If he had, it would’ve been Sheeraz all over again.

“We gave him the option (to pull out) at the end of the seventh, but he said he was good to go on. His mind was ready to go, but his body was weakening.”

The plan is to instil in Wilson-Bent the self-belief and mental fortitude to succeed at international level.

Pegg added: “If the confidence isn’t real, if it isn’t earned properly, it can be punctured. You don’t get that confidence by fighting journeymen and River knows that.”

It was a gamble. Wilson-Bent, who lost for the third time in 18 bouts, may consider it a gamble that paid off.

And, the result apart, he was paid handsomely for taking the risk. That should not be forgotten.

He is a professional fighter and the Oxford English Dictionary describes “professional” as: “Engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.”

That is the bottom line. In professional boxing, pride, passion and titles talk, but money has the final say.