Sunday 6 March 2016 07:56, UK
Paul Smith believes Sam Eggington did all he could only to lose his titles to Bradley Skeete on Saturday night.
The Stourbridge welterweight lost a unanimous decision to see his British and Commonwealth belts head to South London in the hands of a new champion.
The 117-112, 116-113, 115-113 scorecards showed the boxing skills Skeete brought with him and Smith had sympathy for Eggington after watching him give it his all, only to come up short.
It was just a quality performance from Skeete.
"I think he could've done more in cutting the ring down," Smith told Sky Sports.
"He was taking one or two steps but he was always moving in the same direction and landing one shot at a time, not two, three, four, then get out and get in again with an attack.
"But it is easier said than done against someone as slick as Bradley Skeete. Was it just that he can't do it? I thought he just couldn't do it."
Smith, who is back in the ring himself next month, was - like most of the Genting Arena crowd - left impressed with Skeete.
The South Londoner's only defeat was to another Midlands man, Frankie Gavin, in his first attempt to pick up the domestic welterweight double.
Moore and Smith both agreed that loss stood him in good stead in terms of experience but it was the classy performance that set him apart from Eggington.
"It was just a quality performance from Skeete," said Smith.
"The jab was absolutely quality and we all said he wasn't throwing the right enough, but he didn't have to when he was dominating things with that jab. It's so good.
"He just kept Eggington off-set with that jab and that double jab."
