By Terence Dooley
Matthew Hall, 25, has decided to shake up his training regime after losing to brash Londoner Anthony Small earlier this month. Hall was visibly angered by Small during the build-up to the fight, and the Manchester fighter has since admitted that his training for the bout was not as good as it could have been. Consequently, he has moved from Brian Hughes’ Collyhurst gym, and is now working with Hughes’ former assistant, Bolton-based trainer Karl Ince.
Hall told the Manchester Evening News that he has made this move for the good of his boxing career. “I thanked him [Brian] a lot for what he's done for me and making me the fighter that I am. But sometimes you need a change,” Hall claimed.
He continued: “I was embarrassed by my performance. Anyone who knows me could see that I was flat. I trained for 14 weeks and maybe I over-trained because walking into the ring I felt flat. I was winning after six rounds, but I got tired. But there are no excuses. I lost to the better man on the night. I don't blame anyone else for it, I blame myself.”
Hall has tasted defeat once before, he was blasted out in a single round by Marin Conception in 2007, this time, though, Hall has decided to seek pastures new, in the hope of rebuilding his promising career.
“If I didn't think I could be the best, I wouldn't do it. When I lost my first fight I shouldn't have even been in the ring because of health problems,” he explained. “This was my first proper defeat so I've got to go back to the drawing board and change a few things. If I didn't think I could do that, I would pack it in and do something else. I know I can perform much better than that.”
Hall hopes to return to action in October, the Tysonesque fighter was outsmarted by Small before being taken out in clinical fashion in round eight, the loss has clearly hurt the young warrior; however, plenty of boxers have come back strong from defeat, Hall will be hoping to add his name to that long list.
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