JOEL Brunker handles a loss as well as a win – with humility.
Just days after returning from his fight in the UK against Welshman Lee Selby, in which he suffered his first professional defeat – a ninth round TKO – Brunker says he can still challenge for a world title in 2015.
Selby, who was also undefeated going into their bout earlier this month, took advantage of a rusty Brunker and used his size advantage to dismantle the Richmond fighter.
“He was the toughest opponent I’d ever faced and after a 14-month layoff, which wasn’t ideal, I had to take the opportunity,” Brunker said.
“His awkwardness combined with the ring rust, it just didn’t work out for me. “At least I lost to a world-class opponent and I’m going to learn from my mistakes.”
The 28-year-old, who went into the fight with 27-straight wins, said he knew early on that the fight wasn’t going to plan and fatigue started to creep in.
“I just wasn’t landing them the way I normally would and I was thinking ‘this is going to be a hard night at the office’,” he said. “I stood there and watched him too much. I was way too patient and didn’t take the opportunities I should have. When I had him in the spot I wanted him in he was smart enough to get out of it and I’d let him go.
“My plan was to go with him for the first five or six rounds because he’s a fast starter who dies late, but I died instead because I’d been so inactive.
“When I got to round six I was thinking ‘here’s my time’ but I started to tire.”
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