North boxing star Billy Stuart aims to rapidly return to title fight status after the heartache of his first professional defeat.
The 23-year old super bantamweight is ready to begin that ascent at Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom.
Northern Sporting Club’s Stuart suffered his first pro setback when losing an IBF Youth world title fight in July this year.
Stuart lost the decision to Alejandro Jair Gonzalez of Mexico in Hamilton after an enthralling 10 round battle.
Having previously boasted a 100 per cent pro return of 10 wins from 10 fights, Stuart insists valuable lessons have been learnt from that setback.
He aims to take them into his bout against Raymond Commey of Ghana at the Beach Ballroom on Friday in a fight that will be broadcast live on Fightzone.
Stuart said: “I hope to get another title shot or British title eliminator for the start of next year or summer time.
“We will get the fight at the Beach Ballroom out of the way first.
“I am in a good division with huge fighters and I aim to make my mark.
“I just have to keep moving forward.”
Up against Pan African champion
Stuart will face former WBA Pan African champion Commey, 34, who also previously held the Ghanaian super-bantamweight title.
Accra-based Commey has a pro record of 19 wins (10 KO), 15 losses (three KO) and one defeat.
Macduff’s Stuart, who trains in Aberdeen, aims to put the world title agony behind him with a convincing victory.
He said: “I hate getting beat – it’s as simple as that.
“After that fight I felt like I had let everyone down.
“I had a lot of people come up and reassure me that, to them, it was a great performance.
“However to me it wasn’t my best.
“It was an all out war and I took some big shots.
“I proved I have a decent chin and my fitness is there as I did 10 rounds.
“The last fight was a disappointment and although it felt quite negative at the time I took a lot of positives from it.
“I was beaten and it is what it is – you win some and lose some.
“I have watched the fight back and saw things I made mistakes on and will learn from.”
𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙤 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮…!
Alejandro Gonzalez has his hand raised after a 10-round battle against Billy Stuart!#𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 pic.twitter.com/RFgCcP3p6r
— Fightzone (@fightzonetv) July 31, 2021
Stuart wants rematch with Gonzalez
Due to the shutdown of boxing during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown Stuart went almost two years without a fight.
Prior to his youth world title shot he was last in the ring when defeating Brett Fidoe on points at the Treetops Hotel on November 16, 2019.
After a 19 month absence from the ring he was pitched straight into a major title fight.
In contrast, opponent Gonzalez had fought three times in seven months ahead of facing Stuart.
The Scot hopes to set up a rematch with Gonzalez and is confident he would triumph second time around.
He said: “I hope at some point I get a rematch so I can get revenge.
“I know myself that I am a far better boxer than he is.
“It’s just that on the night he did what he did to win.
“I thought I had maybe nicked the second half of the fight with my jab as I was the more busier and probably threw and landed more shots.
“However he landed bigger, more eye-catching shots.
“It was probably just what the judges were seeing really.
“It didn’t go my way but it is not the end of the world.
“If I didn’t have that ring rust and had that sharpness I wouldn’t have been caught with some of the shots.
“It’s all ifs and buts now, there’s no point greeting about it.
“I learnt a lot more from that fight than the other 10 I have had.”
World title bid too good to turn down
Stuart has no regrets about plunging straight into a world title bout in his first fight back after the coronavirus lockdown.
Fueled by a relentless drive to secure success and titles Stuart secured the vacant BUI super-bantamweight title in only his eighth professional fight.
Facing Gonzalez for an IBF Youth world title was too good an opportunity to turn down.
He said: “Gonzalez had been more active as had a number of fights already this year.
“I was stepping back into the ring for the first time since before the pandemic which was nearly two years.
“It’s a long time to be away considering I jumped straight back into a world title fight.
“However I had no excuses as my fitness was there, my weight was perfect and the whole camp was as smooth as you could want.
“It was probably the best camp I have had.
“It just shows that the longer you are out of the ring no matter how much you spar and train there is that ring rust.
“It was a hard fight, a war.
“However, I move on and can’t wait to get back into the ring in Aberdeen.
“I aim to get back to winning and hopefully set up another title fight.”
