By Dean Parr

2009 ABA Champion Liam 'Cannonball' Cameron, now 3-0, fought the tough Kevin McCauley at Sheffield City Hall on 20th February, eventually prevailing with a 60-55 points win after a hard fought scrap.  Liam caught up with BoxingScene to discuss the fight, why he will have better nights, and what the future holds.

Was Cameron happy with his showing?  “No, not really,” he admitted.  “When I'd told you before [in his last interview with BoxingScene.com] that I had a cold, I said that it went.  It hadn't - I still had it, so it affected me badly.  I still beat him easily, but I just know there's more to come from me, and I want to show people that.”

“He was cocky and he was telling me to come on to him, but I just kept to my jab and hit him with some big shots,” Cameron continued, now describing the pattern of the contest.  “To be fair to him, he took some good shots, and every time I hit him with a big bomb he came swinging for me, but I had good footwork so I could get out of the way a bit.  With the cold though, I felt bunged up, and that I had to push it more than I should have done.”

What this performance shows, though, is that even on a bad day, Cameron's class can carry him through and get him the 'W'.  He agreed with this.  “Yeah, definitely it did - class got me through it.  I wasn't really tired, but you know when you feel that you're not 100%, that's exactly how I felt,” he revealed.

Kevin McCauley, now 4-15-2, was always going to provide a difficult challenge, and Sheffield's 'Cannonball' expected nothing less.  “I knew he was going to be tough”, said the highly-rated former amateur star, “and he took some good shots and body shots, and he kept telling me to come onto him more.  I think that was just because he was trying to buy some time though, and he was hurt.

“There was definitely an improvement since last time, because I knew he was a better opponent, and I knew he was going to be fit because he only boxed a week before against Wayne Alwan-Arab who's won 10, lost 0, and he only lost by a point against him.  So for me to beat him easily, and knowing that there's things to come from me that people haven't seen, in my next fight I'm going to be 100%.”

In spite of the cold, which marred his skills, Liam still reckons the fight and build up were good learning curves.  “I've gained the experience to know to keep warm while I'm running now - I can't afford to catch any bugs,” he reflected.  “He was a bit dirty as well with his head, and he caught me on the eye with a headbutt.  I didn't get cut, but it was flush, and the referee said, 'One more time and I'm taking a point off you' [to McCauley] but he kept on doing it and they still didn't take anything away.

“I'm fighting next on the 23rd of April in Coventry.  I'm back in the gym tomorrow, and I cannot wait to be in there!  I think the cold's gone now, and I think if I'd have boxed him [McCauley] now, I would have boxed a lot better, because as well, I couldn't budge my weight as easily and I weighed in a bit heavier at 11st 5lbs, which I was around two weeks before.”

To finish off, the Fight Academy boxer had this to say.  “Thanks to everyone who supported me - it was unbelievable that support!  I went home with a good feeling thinking Sheffield people support me, and I just want to say that I'll show more in my next fight, so keep supporting!” he declared.