IN boxing, it’s said you win or you learn and Sean McComb says he has absorbed the lessons from his Commonwealth lightweight title reverse to Gavin Gwynne last time out as he prepares to tangle with former world title challenger, Vicente Martin Rodriguez, at the Falls Park on Friday.
 
The defeat to Gwynne came amid a quite chaotic build-up with Covid-19 seeing the fight postponed from its original date of January 22, only for it to be refined for Dubai a fortnight later and postponed again.
 
It finally did take place in mid-February, by which time McComb had spent part of his training camp in Pakistan under outgoing coach Danny Vaughan who wasn’t present for his eventual loss, with sparring limited to one six-round session against May Thai fighter, Garrett Smylie.
 
Outside the ring, the Turf Lodge man had just become a father, opened a gym in the middle of lockdown and was also dealing with a move down in weight with all of these factors contributing to the West Belfast man falling to his first defeat against a highly motivated Gwynne who was a convincing winner on the night.
 
There was natural disappointment and frustration in the aftermath that saw his record slip to 11-1, but looking back there was much to take from the whole episode and with the dust firmly settled, McComb is keen to get going again on Friday night.
 
“It was a loss on the night, but a win overall,” he reflects.
 
“There was so much going on and looking back, I just wasn’t on it. It was dragged out for too long.
 
“When I look back on the fight, I wasn’t beaten up. It was a level fight when it got to the point where I just didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to be there to begin with, but thought I would just win and get it over and done with.
 
“My approach to the fight and my camp just wasn’t good enough. I was fit but not fight fit and that was the difference. I didn’t know how to control the pace, didn’t know what my tactics were and didn’t want to follow instructions from someone who wasn’t my cornerman. I’m glad it happened and have put it behind me now, so I’ve put a lot of different things into this camp.
 
“I’ve stripped it right back to what I’m good at, so I’m very eager to get going again.”

McComb had been training in Glasgow under Vaughan and at one point, had fellow Belfast boxers: Paddy Barnes, Tyrone McKenna and Jamie Conlan for company.
 
Barnes and Conlan have since retired with McKenna relocating to Pete Taylor’s camp in Dublin, so McComb has now followed and says being back in a busy environment has made all the difference.
 
“I was always around a team environment with the Irish team and so on, but over in Glasgow was very lonely in the end with the boys away,” he admitted.
 
“It’s been great to get back into that environment and have a bit of craic as-well-as training hard, so it’s been great in this camp and I feel good.
 
“I don’t think you will see anything different, just the old Seany Mac back in action.
 
“Pete Taylor is a very knowledgeable coach, very smart and very technical. He knows me from the amateurs so he is just getting me right back to where I need to be. It’s just about bringing back the good aspects of what I have in my locker.”
 
Returning to the Falls Park on Friday in front of 8000 fans will add another spring to his step.
Two years ago, he defeated Renald Garrido at the same venue and seemed to thrive on the carnival atmosphere.
 
Having been forced to trade leather behind closed doors in his past two outings, the roar of the crowd will be most welcome this weekend.
 
“It gives you that kick and extra couple of per cent you need, especially when it’s your home crowd,” he acknowledges.
 
“You just have that urge to do things right because you are doing it for those who are buying tickets and spending their hard-earned money to watch you. That spurs you on and makes all the difference.”
 
In his way is Rodriguez who arrives in Belfast with a record of 39-6-1, with just two of those losses by stoppage.
 
The 36-year-old from Buenos Aires seems just the test that McComb needs to bounce back as he has mixed it in top company including that world title challenge against Adrien Broner and will ask questions of the West Belfast man.
 
However, McComb gives the impression of a man who has learnt from the Gwynne defeat and with a new team, seems well equipped to return to winning way and edge back into the domestic title picture.
 
“He has been involved in big shows before like the MGM Arena (Las Vegas) against Adrien Broner, so I don’t think this will have an effect on him coming into the Falls Park,” McComb predicts.
 
“I know he is a tough opponent. I have fought two South Americans before and I know what they come to do. They come forward and try to give you a hard’s night work and I’m expecting the same again.
 
“I’m well aware of what he brings to the table so I’ve got a good game-plan to stop him from coming and scoring the upset.”