Steve Milton: Hamilton boxer Josh O’Reilly on the left hook that ended his World Boxing title dreams in first-round TKO
Amid last week's high hopes, Josh O'Reilly was outward and expressive. Amid this week's disappointment, he isn't going inward and silent.
For every pro athlete, it's a necessary personality trait to be aware and analytical of what has happened, no matter how painful, and then of what can happen next. To his deep credit, O'Reilly isn't hiding behind silence. He's as forthright about his nightmare as he was about his dream. He tells you he was beaten, and beaten quickly, and that his first professional loss hurts where things usually hurt most: emotionally.
The 29-year-old Hamilton lightweight never got the feet he knew he would need underneath him Friday night in London, England and was stopped by Northern Ireland's James Tennyson after just two minutes and 14 seconds of their World Boxing Association title eliminator.
The talk now is that the heavy-punching Tennyson will engage in one more ranked bout and assuming he's successful - he's won every fight, all by KO or TKO, since moving up a weight class - then challenge for the WBA world title.
It could have been O'Reilly, and he really hoped it would be. But he never found the chance to insert his much-needed mobility into the equation because, almost immediately, Tennyson temporarily immobilized him with a high left hook then sent him to the mat twice. When Tennyson moved in for another aggressive sequence, the referee had seen enough.
It was obviously the right stoppage. It wasn't that I didn't feel OK during the fight, but I just wasn't firing. I had my hands up well but I got caught with the hook and I just couldn't really recover. It's a really weird feeling," O'Reilly told The Spectator.
I was very aware that he can really punch and that he could do it at any time. But I'd have liked to show my skill set for at least five or six rounds, win a round or two. Then if you get hit like that and lose, you've shown that you can compete at that level. It sucks that I didn't get to show that, and it's kind of embarrassing."
Harsh, but honest, appraisal. No excuses.
O'Reilly could mention that he'd flown across five time zones only two days earlier, but doesn't. Or that he hadn't fought competitively in 13 months while Tennyson had won the British title in August and now has five more pounds of strength and power than two years ago when he lost a world super featherweight title bout in Boston.
At 16-0, O'Reilly had been ranked eighth in the WBA and will probably remain somewhere in the rankings while Tennyson rockets from 10th into the top three.
It's a big statement for me," Tennyson told BBC Sport. Josh was 16-0, unbeaten. He came over with a lot of confidence, and I got in and out early. I caught him with a left hook and saw that it hurt him a bit and thought you know what, I'll put it on him here' and it paid off."
As Tennyson buoyantly prepares for his next big encounter, the man he defeated says he'll enjoy the holidays at home, then return to heavy training. He knows it will take a while to get back to that level" of opportunity he had against Tennyson.
I know I can compete at that level, but it's hard to say that to people after this fight. But I can't get stuck there: I've got to take what I can from this and move forward. And I know it can't get any worse than that.
It's a hard sport because you're only as good as your last fight, so I've got to bite down and work harder in the gym. That fight was not a great experience, but it's a learning one."
Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: smilton@thespec.com