SAM Sexton could be in line for a British title shot after winning the eight-man Prizefighter 2 heavyweight tournament.
The 24-year-old from Norwich boxed within himself in outpointing Pele Reid and Luke Simpkin on his way to the final,
where he turned up the tempo to stop a fading Chris Burton with 50 seconds of the third and last round to go.
Fightnewz.net spoke to him at Newcastle Arena moments after he picked up his winner's trophy and a cheque for
25,000 pounds.
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: Congratulations - you had the aura of a man who was convinced he was going to win and you produced
the goods.
SEXTON: "I’m over the moon, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet but I was confident from the off about winning it.
"You’ve got to be in this game, there is no point going in there and doubting yourself.
"I got in the zone and I did what I came to Newcastle to do."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: You paced yourself to perfection.
SEXTON: "We went through every scenario before the tournament - who I was going to box and who I could box.
"We had a gameplan and I was determined not to make my fights tear-ups before I got in.
"I was determined to try and save myself, just stand off and box and be myself.
"I was pretty confident I was winning the first fight comfortably so I didn’t need to go in there all guns blazing.
"Likewise in the second fight, so I just saved it in the last fight."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: How tough is the tournament format - three, three round fights for the finalists?
SEXTON: "Three fights in one night is tough no matter who it is over three, three-minute rounds.
"If you are fighting in a six or eight round fight, you fight and win and that’s it.
"You don’t have to come back in the dressing room and be back in the ring 10 minutes later.
"You don’t know exactly who you are going to be boxing, so that plays a little bit of tricks on your mind. But
I kept my cool and it paid off."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: Burton rocked you with a right hand. How deep did you have to dig to get through that?
SEXTON: "Chris rocked me a bit with a right hand but I soaked it up. It was a bit of a flash punch and I came back with
my own shots."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: You could end up facing each other again some time with the British title up for grabs. You might even
get a shot at the winner of Danny Williams-John McDermott II.
SEXTON: "A rematch with Chris Burton would be brilliant, especially for the British title.
"But to fight anybody for the British title would be brilliant, not just Chris Burton.
"We will go back in the gym, see what offers are coming my way and choose the best option.
"Hopefully not too far in the future I’ll be boxing for a British title."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: Norwich has had success at heavyweight with Herbie Hide in the past, you must believe you can fill
the gap and put it on the boxing map again?
SEXTON: "We’ve got a cruiserweight in Norwich in Herbie Hide and we’ve got three brilliant brothers
in the Walsh brothers.
"They are excellent boxers. Jon Thaxton is fighting for a European title and we’ve got other up and comers like
Paul Davis in the gym.
"We’ve got a great stable and it’s getting better. We are definitely putting Norwich on the boxing map."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: You suffered your only pro defeat to Derek Chisora prior to Prizefighter. Fancy settling the score
with him?
SEXTON: "I’d like to fight Chisora again to set the record straight but whatever is coming my way I will take.
"I’m never one to duck a challenge, but I’ll do what’s right for me."
