Lewis Sylvester says he now feels ready to take on all comers as the talented boxer sets his sights on establishing himself as East Yorkshire’s leading fighter. The 27-year-old lightweight from Hull gave not just a career-best performance, but potentially a career-making performance when beating Reece Mould at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium last week.
Winning a brilliant yet often brutal match-up in Doncaster, the man from Gipsyville picked up his 16th career victory in 17 fights, as well as the vacant IBO Continental lightweight title. Perhaps more important was the manner of victory, with the two slugging it out in what was undoubtedly the fight of the night on a world title card stacked with talented boxers.
More than just a war, Mould’s experience, resilience and tenacity forced the best from Sylvester, who was able to show not just his aggression, power and chin, but still allow the technical side to be on show in a performance of real note that couldn’t fail to attract the attention of promoters and television company DAZN, who broadcast the show.
Sylvester’s team hope that win, which brings with it an international ranking, can push the former English champion back into domestic title contention and secure significant fights moving forward, perhaps even in Hull.
“I couldn’t be happier with how it went really,” Sylvester told Hull Live. “I got the win, it was a career-best performance, the crowd loved it and everyone tells me it was the fight of the night, so I’m really happy right now.
“It was a tough fight, but I knew it would be. I had to dig in, I showed resolve and I think I showed I wanted it more.”
Sylvester admits to having a loss of confidence after a first career loss last year when beaten by rising superstar Sam Noakes, but this win over the vastly experienced Mould has had the exact opposite effect.
Sylvester explains: “My confidence is through the roof now. I think I proved a lot to people and to myself. I’m hoping getting on the TV shows is easier after this and what we all want is to get those type of shows back in Hull.”
Damaging his hand in the third round of the contest, Sylvester will have to wait for scans and an assessment in the coming days before finding out the length of an enforced break that will now follow, but he’s hoping he will be able to start punching again come July. It means there’s hope of a ring return in the autumn, but it may not be at lightweight.
“I think we may go back to super-featherweight, but that all depends on what’s out there,” says Sylvester. “If someone comes with a big fight at lightweight I’ll take it, I want the big fights, but I think dropping back down may be the way forward.
“We’ll see how my hand looks first. I did it in the third round and it was painful for a round or so, but then it just went numb and didn’t bother me. It’s going to keep me out for a little while, but hopefully not too long and the plan is to have at least one more fight this year.”