Power: ‘I’ll be back in UL ready to rock and roll’

MICHAEL ‘The Storm’ Sweeney brought Jamie Power’s undefeated record in the professional boxing ranks to an end at Dublin’s O2 Arena on Saturday night when the Ballinrobe man forced a stoppage in the third round.
The light heavyweight contest featured on the under card of Bernard Dunne’s WBA super bantamweight title defence against Thailand’s Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in front of a capacity crowd of 9,000 spectators.
The fight got off to a lively start when Sweeney caught Jamie Power with a big right hand which sent the Limerick man crashing to the canvass in the very first round. Power recovered however and battled gamely on before Sweeney got the upper hand in the third round and pressed for another knockdown. Michael Sweeney appeared to have floored Power again in the third, but referee Mickey Vann ruled that he had pushed Power - after warning Sweeney Vann disallowed the knockdown.
Before the round was out however Sweeney caught Power with a devastating left hook and then knocked the St. Francis man with two right hands punctuated by a left.
A resilient Jamie Power got back to his feet, but was now bleeding badly from a cut.
Referee Mickey Vann led Power to his corner before ringside physician, Dr. Joe McKeever, ruled Jamie Power unfit to continue. In the aftermath of the defeat Jamie Power explained to Limerick’s Live 95FM that the cut, which brought the contest to an abrupt end, required ten stitches.
“The better man did win,” admitted Jamie Power.
“They had a game plan and we had a game plan.
“My game plan was to jump in early and try not to let him get his big shots off, but he still got his big shots off and how I got up from the first one was unbelievable.
“I kept trying to weather the storm,” Jamie Power added.
“Just before the referee brought me over to the doctor you could see him standing there blowing himself out. If the doctor had let it go for another round or two things might have changed and come into my territory. He was after hitting me with everything, but I still felt fresh and I still felt ready.
“The doctor felt the cut was very bad and he was probably right about that.”
With Andy Lee reportedly pushing hard for a fight at the UL Arena in November Jamie Power is sure to be tempted back into the ring.
“There’s one thing about Jamie Power,” added the Norwood native, “I’m a very, very proud Limerick man.
“So, I will not go out as a fella who lost. I will go out as a fella who wins. I’m a true, proud Limerick man and I will be back to right the wrong of this defeat.
“I’ll be back in UL ready to rock and roll as I always am.”

BRIAN MCDONNELL