Fitzgerald receives British title fight after win over Anthony Fowler
Monday 1 April 2019 14:00, UK
Scott Fitzgerald hopes a British title battle with Ted Cheeseman can be staged at The O2 as he plans to produce another stunning victory in his opponent's backyard.
The 27-year-old super-welterweight floored Anthony Fowler in the final round to seal a split decision win in Liverpool on Saturday night, and the British Boxing Board of Control have now ordered Cheeseman to defend his Lonsdale belt against Fitzgerald.
After handling the red-hot reception from Fowler's fans in Merseyside, Fitzgerald has no concerns about fighting in Cheeseman's hometown, and would welcome the chance to feature on the undercard of Dillian Whyte's next fight in July.
"I think he's a good lad, Ted," Fitzgerald told Sky Sports. "I look at him, and he's a good fighter, but I think I can easily win that fight. He's not big enough to beat me, I don't think."
Discussing a possible trip to The O2, Fitzgerald added: "Let me come there, with at least two thousand.
"We'll see how many more, because let me tell you, I'll take loads there, and that will just be the best night ever."
Cheeseman's unbeaten record was ended by a points defeat to European champion Sergio Garcia in February, and Fitzgerald also wants to target the Spaniard when the new boxing schedule begins after the summer.
He said: "My plan is this - I want to get Ted Cheeseman before the season is up, 100 per cent. Then maybe I wouldn't mind a little holiday or two, and then as soon as the start of the season comes, Garcia, with good enough time to get ready.
"I don't think they can beat me. I'm only scratching the surface."
Fitzgerald was unhappy with his slender one-point margin of victory on two of the scorecards at the weekend, with the other judge scoring in favour of Fowler, and the Preston man believes he could even have stopped his rival, if he had employed more aggression earlier.
"Trust me, the experience of those 10 rounds, next time I'll be five times better than I was then," said Fitzgerald.
"I could have committed to big punches earlier, and took him out earlier.
"When I got him hurt in the last round, I was very lazy not to finish him off. I went over there, he was completely gone. All he did was grab hold of me twice, and I was lazy. I was having fun, but it was lazy from me, and I'll learn from that.
"I didn't think the scorecards were that close, and I only won because I knocked him down.
"I thought I won seven rounds. I wasn't happy with that, but that just shows I should have got rid of him, because imagine if I had lost that?"
