New European champion Gill thinking of next test after stunning win
Jordan Gill celebrates after winning the European featherweight title by knocking out Karim Guerfi at the 02 Arena, London - Credit: PA
Jordan Gill is already thinking about his next test in the ring, after being crowned European featherweight champion on Sunday.
Gill, 27, produced a stunning knockout punch to stop defending champion Karim Guerfi in the ninth round at London's O2 Arena.
And the Chatteris fighter is contemplating which step to take now, saying: "That's the European level conquered. He was four-time champion, they don't give those belts away easily.
"He's a solid operator at that level. I've passed that test, now to move on. Whether it's a European defence or world title eliminator, that's the progession."
Gill overcame a slow start to take control of the bout but was unexpectedly floored by the Frenchman in the seventh round.
Guerfi continued the onslaught in the next two rounds, pinning Gill in the corner, before a telling punch ended the contest.
Gill explained: "It felt like it was a close fight, it was nip and tuck.
I started a little bit slow, felt like I was warming into it, then perforated my ear drums which took away my balance completely.
"I've never had that in my life, where my balance just goes. It was a weird feeling, my legs have never betrayed me, I've never been dropped with a head shot, so it was a weird feeling.
Most Read
- 1 Boys, 13 and 17 killed in horror BMW crash near A47 in Peterborough
- 2 Man in his 20s dies after crash in west Norfolk
- 3 Tribute to ‘much-loved’ school worker who died suddenly in Wisbech
- 4 7 places where you can tuck into a carvery in Cambridgeshire
- 5 Man in his 40s suffers ‘life-changing injuries’ in major crash on A14
- 6 New March station will 'help people to use petrol and diesel cars less'
- 7 ‘Sudden death’ reported at Nene and Ramnoth School in Wisbech
- 8 Met Office forecast for Cambridgeshire after weekend of mixed weather
- 9 Recap: A47 shut near Wisbech and King's Lynn after evening crash
- 10 Man arrested after 'game of hide and seek' with police dogs and helicopter
"I had to go to the ropes, allow them to prop me up and use defence and find a shot.
"The senses were never gone, I always knew what I was up to, it was just my balance and legs, harbouring a knee injury anyway.
"I could still make the right decisions, you could see me slipping the shots and rolling out of the shots, covering up and defending.
"I had to go to the ropes, that forced him to pile on the pressure, making him work harder, and that was going to deplete him and open something up for me.
"That's what happened, he was trying to unload and I noticed he was dropping his left hand when he was throwing his jab and I caught him in the eighth with an overhand right, rocked him back on his heels, and thought 'right, that's the shot I'm going to hit him with'.
"And I timed it perfectly in the ninth, with a shot from the Gods.
I needed to do it and I did it."
Jordan Gill (right) after knocking down Karim Guerfi at the 02 Arena, London - Credit: PA
Having improved his record to 27-1-1, Gill says he has plenty of time to achieve much more in his career.
He said: "That European title means everything to me. It was my moment, biggest fight of my life. I've got a lot of time left in the sport.
"I don't think anybody knows what I've had to go through apart from me to get to this.
"I've had a lot of ups and downs and hard times, sleepless nights and stress, but we're here now. We can push on, carry on being positive."
