Winning Eckington boxer says he to speed up in the ring to match top cruiserweights

The Eckington cruiserweight admits his footwork needs to improve despite his seven-fight winning stretch, so far.

Paul, 27, has recorded two stoppages and five points wins since embarking on a professional career in November 2014. In his last win, at Sheffield United’ Platinum Suite last weekend, against Lithuanian Dmitrij Kalinovskij who had 30 losses on his 42-fight resume, Paul did more than enough to win, but also took more punishment than was perhaps expected.

The Clinton Woods-trained fighter said: “I thought I could have done a bit better, my legs felt a bit dead. He seemed a bit stationary at times but I was struggling to get hold of him. I definitely need to improve on my foot work, but I only had six weeks training for the fight because I have been badly. He was a tough, durable kid, he knew how to survive how to have a breather.”

The Derbyshire man accepted he’d got tagged too much by Kalinovskij and knows he should have slipped his opponent’s jab more.

“I suppose that’s my style, I like to brawl, get on the inside and swing them. That’s what the crowd like, they want to see blood and guts. I am going to try and phase it out a bit (brawling style) get tagged less and work on my jab more...big, long straight shots try to move more afterwards instead of throwing them and staying there.”

Paul said he was an admirer of the likes of cruiserweights Tommy McCarthy and Sam Hyde saying: “Hopefully soon I will be at their level.

“If I push it and push it hopefully we can get central area, (status) we’ll see, we’ll take it as it comes really.”

* Joss Paul is Sheffield Steelers ice hockey club’s favourite boxer - players like Zack Fitzgerald, Colton Fretter, Luke Ferrara and Brad Day were among the audience at Bramall Lane in Friday night’s points success.