Chris ‘2Slick’ Kongo felt his experience in the ring with Chris Eubank Jr was crucial as he won his fifth successive professional fight at the weekend.
Bermondsey’s Kongo went the distance against Lancashire’s William Warburton, who also took him all the way in his second fight as a professional.
Kongo, 24, had the benefit of sparring with Eubank Jr, who defended his IBO super-middleweight title with a points win over veteran Arthur Abraham on Saturday night.
Chris Eubank Sr was in the ring overseeing the recent sparring session, and Kongo revealed the former middleweight and super-middleweight world champion was impressed with what he saw.
“Getting the benefit of that experience is priceless,” Kongo said. “He gave me some good advice and things to work on. Apart from that he said my boxing skills were beautiful and I should keep it up.
“That gives me a lot of confidence, as does sparring with Chris Eubank Jr. The main thing was me sparring Chris, it was a learning experience. It was good to experience what kind of level I’m at and what I need to work on.”
Kongo had to wait almost six hours to step into the ring at Wembley Arena, with no slot opening up between bouts due to no knockouts on the undercard.
That meant he went on after the Eubank Jr-Abraham main event.
“It was quite a long day but we got the win and that’s the main thing,” Kongo told the News.
“There weren’t really nerves, but I had to wait and everyone went the distance. I was ready from five o’clock but I didn’t end up boxing until 11.30.
“I was warming up and then I had to stop, and I had to warm up again. I took my boxing kit off, then got ready to go again. I ended up warming up about three or four times.
“It was my second fight that went the distance and it was the same opponent, who has had about 150 fights.
“I went there and everything I had learned in the gym I just put it together in the ring.
“I’m used to boxing anywhere now, big or small arenas, it doesn’t bother me. I’m going to have a couple of days off and then back in the gym. I’m hoping to be out again early September.
“It’s all up to my coach to see how much I have improved. It’s his call [on a potential future title fight].”