Portsmouth’s pride. The man from Waterlooville who’s got everyone talking after Manchester drama
The DAZN-televised contest is being touted as fight of the year after Mark Chamberlain’s barnburner British and Commonwealth title showdown with Jack Rafferty.
Mark Chamberlain has targeted a rematch on the big stage with Jack Rafferty after his jaw-dropping fight of the year contender.
The Waterlooville banger delivered a stunning display in his British and Commonwealth super-lightweight title showdown against Jack Rafferty in Altrinchham on Saturday night.
Calls for rematch after Rafferty v Chamberlain fight of year contender
The DAZN-televised battle outdid its main event billing, with both men going into the trenches and ending a brutal encounter bloodied but unbowed.
The clash went to the scorecards with a majority draw verdict returned, as one judge scored the fight 115-114 to the former Team Wiseman boxer and two others a 114-114 draw.
The News had it 115-113 to Chamberlain with there a consensus the 26-year-old had done enough to snatch the titles from his unbeaten opponent.
There was no moaning about the outcome from the 17-1-1 man, however, who is looking for a rematch with talk of a big Manchester venue or Saudi Arabia hosting a return.
Chamberlain told Queensbury Promotions: ‘A draw wasn’t what we wanted, but a lot of people are raving about what a fight it was and saying I won the fight.
‘I let my boxing slip for a couple of rounds and that might have cost me the fight, but listen it was a good fight and Jack’s a tough man - I’ve got all my respect for him.
‘He’s the champion and he said he wants to do it again. If Turki (Alashikh) was watching and liked what he saw then let’s get it on a big card.
‘I said from day one I’d fight anyone.
‘I said in the lead-up to the fight Jack is the champion and I can’t call the shots as to where I want the fight, so I do as I’m told and go where I go.
Chamberlain: ‘I’ll stand my own and give it my all until I drop dead’
‘If it means coming to his back yard to have a fight that’s what I’ll do, I’ll stand my own and give it my all until I drop dead.
‘I wasn’t going to do what his previous opponents did - hit and run, I was going to stand there and have a fight.
‘Anyone who knows me from growing up knows I will have a fight with anyone. I don’t care if it’s King Kong - I will get in there and have a go.
‘I take my hat off to Jack, he’s not only a fighting man but a respectful man.
‘Let’s get it on again, it’s nothing personal - it’s strictly business at the end of the day.’
There’s absolutely no doubt Chamberlain emphatically answered questions over his durability with Rafferty, nicknamed Demolition Man, losing his unbeaten record and failing to add to his 17 knockouts.
Chamberlain looked more durable after stepping up a division after a surprise defeat to Josh Padley last year. Now bright things once again lie ahead for the former ABA champion
He added: ‘We knew he was big and strong but he didn’t hurt me. He caught me with a few body shots and I caught him.
‘It was a war but you can’t go swimming without getting wet at the end of the day. We’re both fighting men and I’m glad we get out of there and go back safely to our families.
‘He’s getting married and I can go on holiday - and then we can get a rematch on in the future.
‘Round 11 I let it slip. If I stayed away a bit more in 10 and 11 I think I would’ve nicked it.
‘But he’s a champion and I’m in his back yard, so I’m not going to cry about it and say I got robbed.
‘A lot of people were writing me off and saying he’s the Demolition Man - and he was going do a demolition job on me.
‘Everyone who wrote me off can have that, I’d like to see them have a 12-round war with an unbeaten fighter with so many knockouts.
‘Last September was 10 per cent of me and it was off night. This proved I’m back - and I’m tough.’
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