Paul Daley: ‘The legend is true’
I wasn’t worried about staying in the pocket with him, taking a few shots if I needed to and then…
I wasn’t worried about staying in the pocket with him, taking a few shots if I needed to and then getting off my own punches. I was completely confident I’d knock him out in the first round.
Daley’s confidence was well founded as he landed hook after hook on Kampmann with barely two minutes gone in the fight. Forced to stumble back into the cage, Kampmann was stuck with nowhere to run. Tighter with his punches and buoyed by the finish in sight, Daley was the last man Kampmann wanted storming after him.
I wish I’d finished it a bit better, admits Daley, ever the perfectionist. The finish wasn’t bad, but I always look to finish in a more explosive fashion. I don’t like finishing a guy on his feet and then leaving room for debate. I’d have preferred to knock him clean out and have no arguments. (Referee) Yves Lavigne probably realised that and that is the reason he stepped in when he did. The fight was only going one way after that point.
As for the mini-controversy that surrounded the finish, Daley isn’t having any of it. Although Kampmann remained standing throughout the duration of the bout, Daley insists it was only through survival instincts rather than any logical decision.
His eyes were rolling back in his head and perhaps only myself and Yves Lavigne could see that, says Daley. I knew he was out as soon as I landed the first left hook on him. The referee realised it a moment later and that’s when he decided to step in. Maybe the fans watching the fight in the arena couldn’t see what we saw. Whatever it was, the stoppage was timed perfectly.
As Lavigne waved the contest off, Daley barely broke a smile, let alone went crazy and leaped on the rim of the Octagon.