Anthony Fowler is ready for testing fights at middleweight. After losing a gruelling Liverpool derby to Liam Smith in October last year, Fowler has headed up in weight as he faces Poland’s Lukasz Maciec on Sunday night at London’s O2 Arena, exclusively live on DAZN worldwide except for Australia and New Zealand.
Despite the setback endured against Smith, Fowler isn’t ready to start from scratch and is aiming for at least one meaningful fight in 2022. The manner of his loss to ‘Beefy' - a second half stoppage after hitting the floor twice - was difficult for Fowler to absorb in the fight’s immediate aftermath, but the 2016 Olympian is ready to use that sore experience and push forward at 160lbs.
“It showed me what it’s like to be in there with a world class fighter,” reflected Fowler when speaking to DAZN.
“I knew it was going to be a hard fight going in, but you find out when you’re in there what that level is all about. Being made to work at a pace you don’t want to, how fighters use their feet. It wasn’t my night but now I know what it feels like to be at the level and how I need to improve.”
Consistently positive, Fowler’s priority is returning to the prestigious platform that he held for a brief moment when sharing the spotlight with Smith in front of a sold-out M&S Arena in Liverpool. With his focus fixed on the threat that Maciec will bring this weekend, Fowler can look ahead sparingly as he looks towards huge fights at middleweight.
“I’m gonna be 31 soon and after two losses, I haven’t really got much time to waste. It’s always been a dream of mine to box for the British title because I went past that level completely to fight Liam. Felix Cash is coming along okay, and Liam Williams has just lost to Chris Eubank so there's things happening at the top in Britain. That’s where I want to be. Those type of fights but let me just get Sunday, and this Pole, out the way first.
“He’s never been stopped, and he’s only got three losses on his record. He’s coming from Poland, and like a lot of their fighters, he’s coming with a good reputation and he’s gonna give me something to think about.
"This is my first proper go at middleweight as a pro and I can feel a big difference already in the gym. I’ve now got to show it in the ring when it matters, and if I can look good Sunday then I want to be back in big fights this year.”