AFTER the acrimony in the build up, Paul Smith and Tony Quigley were in respectful mood after the fight, agreeing Liverpool is now the new home of British boxing.
The pair battled for 12 gruelling rounds at the Echo Arena on Friday for the British Super-Middleweight title with the newly-crowned Smith saying his conditioning and desire saw him to victory.
Quigley admitted Smith executed the better boxing but says everyone will be desperate to see a rematch.
Smith said: “Was the ill-feeling between us blown out of proportion before the fight? I think it was but I watched the last fight (between Quigley and Tony Dodson) and it was making me sick, them hugging each other in the press conference. That’s not boxing to me, you can’t go and fight someone you like.
“The things I was saying were getting to him and the things he was saying were getting to me. It was a scrappy fight, no fault of Tony’s, no fault of my own, it was just the way the styles gelled. I don’t think we could have a war for 12 rounds because I like getting in close too much and he likes getting in close too much. But my heart and fitness got me through and those that doubted me I proved them wrong.
“When I let my hands go I am good but in the middle rounds I was awful. I’ve known all along how good Tony can be. Walking to the ring it felt like one of the old Ricky Hatton fights which Frank used to put on and it would be amazing if we could keep that in Liverpool. We can have Scousers topping the bill in our home town every time there is a show here.”
Quigley added: “If you don’t hate him, you don’t fight him like that.
“What we done before the fight sold the tickets. We could have said we loved each other for two Press conferences and had half the people there. That was a great atmosphere. But, Paul performed better, we both went for it, it was a scrappy fight and he’s the champion and bringing the belt home– hats off to him.
“We have done Liverpool proud, people say Manchester is the heart of boxing but we proved now Liverpool is going to be the heart of boxing. Liverpool is full of talent and I think this is the base now of professional boxing in England. I think the public will want to see Smith-Quigley II.”
Frank Warren said: “It was great night, the atmosphere was fantastic. It was a tense fight but at the end of the day my man prevailed. Maybe we get a rematch on for this, I’m sure there will be an appetite for it.”
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