A COMBINATION of circumstances conspired against Ryan Watson as he suffered the first defeat of his professional career against late replacement Youssef Al-Hamidi in Manchester.

The 29-year-old, from Ulverston, was originally slated to take on Joe Beeden at lightweight in a four-round contest at Bowlers Exhibition Centre, only for his opponent to have to withdraw the day before the fight.

That left Watson's manager trying to source a late replacement, with wily welterweight journeyman Al-Hamidi the only man available to step in at such short notice for the former Barrow ABC boxer's second pro bout.

Despite Watson believing he took the first two rounds and deserved the nod, referee Darren Sarginson scored the contest 39-38 in favour of Al-Hamidi, leaving the beaten man to reflect on some of the harsh realities of the paid ranks.

“I don't normally fight at lightweight, but I was going down to see if I could make the weight and see if I was comfortable fighting at that weight,” said Watson. I made the weight – I was bang on 9st 12oz the day before the fight – and I got a call off my promoter saying my original opponent had to drop out.

“It wasn't ideal and he was a hard opponent – he'd beaten Anthony Crolla and upset a lot of top prospects – but to be fair I won the first two rounds and I thought I'd done enough, being the prospect, to get the nod or at the very worst a draw.

“Everyone said it was a bad decision, so I was gutted, but I boxed really well. I picked him off in the first two rounds, but trying to make lightweight and then fighting someone who wasn't my weight just tired me towards the end and that's what edged it. He just finished that bit stronger, but it was very close.”

Although disappointed to suffer a loss in his second pro fight, Watson was not too despondent and is already aiming at getting back in the ring sooner rather than later to put into practice the lessons learnt from that defeat.

He is eyeing a rematch with Al-Hamidi in the future as well, but will be campaigning at his natural weight from now on rather than trying to get down to the lightweight limit in the future.

“It was a good learning fight, to be honest,” said Watson. “People don't normally get him until they've had 10 fights in their career, or if they do get him early on it's people who have been ABA champions, boxed for England and are tipped to be world champions.

“People avoid him, but it was just unfortunate that it was last-minute and I didn't want to let down by supporters.

“I'm going back to my original weight and I'm going to fight at super-lightweight next time. There are a few things to work on and we're looking at fighting again in the next six to eight weeks.

“I'll have another fight now, get a win and then I'm going to rematch Youssef and get the win, which I know I can do when I get up to my normal weight. I know exactly what to do, so I'll avenge my loss and go from there.”