Ted Cheeseman can still salvage a British title battle with Anthony Fowler, says Eddie Hearn
"He's got a heart of a lion, but he's got to improve technically."
Sunday 3 February 2019 13:51, UK
Ted Cheeseman showed the 'heart of a lion' in defeat to European champion Sergio Garcia, but can still salvage a fight with Anthony Fowler, says promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Bermondsey fighter suffered the first defeat of his professional career, losing by unanimous decision to Garcia, despite his dogged attempts to force a stoppage in the closing rounds at The O2 Arena.
Cheeseman's rugged aggression was neutralised by the classy Garcia, who took victory with scores of 119-109, 119-109, and 115-114, and Hearn believes the Londoner's technical errors were exposed by the Spaniard.
"Ted Cheeseman deserves so much respect, and credit," Hearn told Sky Sports. "He's 23 years of age, and I don't think I've seen anyone try so hard to the final bell when they're so far behind in the fight.
"He was so tired, but I just think that he gave it everything. Sometimes you think that, eight or nine rounds down, you think that I'll just coast through, make the distance. Never in that fight was he not trying to win the fight.
"Unfortunately he came up against a brilliant champion in Sergio Garcia.
"Ted made mistakes in the fight, he was getting hit much too easily, he didn't jab enough - maybe tense, maybe believing your own hype that you can just overpower people, you can just walk people down, you can outwork them.
"What you saw, was (Cheeseman) coming up against probably a world-level fighter, who is incredibly fit. After three or four rounds, I'm thinking 'He's got to break him.' He was fresher than Ted Cheeseman.
"Sometimes you step up from British to European level, and you're not good enough, you're not ready, and ultimately that's what happened to Ted Cheeseman."
Liverpudlian rival Fowler was watching from ringside ahead of his domestic clash with Scott Fitzgerald on March 30, live on Sky Sports.
Hearn expects Cheeseman to rebuild at British title level, and insists a fight with Fowler remains a possibility for the future.
"Ted Cheeseman is still British champion," said the Matchroom Boxing boss.
"Anthony Fowler, Scott Fitzgerald, they want to win the British title. Those fights are still there, potentially not as big as it could have been through a victory tonight, but Anthony Fowler or Scott Fitzgerald against Sergio Garcia is a great fight.
"I think he's [Garcia] going to go on and challenge for world titles, I do. He's top four in the WBC and he's a very talented fighter, and he showed his level tonight, which is European, world-class, and Ted couldn't get out of that British level.
"At 23 years old that's no disgrace, but I'm so proud of Ted Cheeseman, and sometimes with performances like that, you'll gain just as many fans in defeat as you can in victory.
"He's got a heart of a lion, but he's got to improve technically."
