ADNAN Amar has abandoned the welterweight division after claiming dehydration was to blame for a knockout defeat to Lee Purdy.
The Nottingham boxer lost the English welterweight title via a fifth-round stoppage at Sheffield’s Motorpoint Arena in March, but says the defeat owed much to his last-ditch attempts to make weight in fight week.
Now preparing for a bout on the undercard of the Carl Froch v Lucian Bute IBF super-middleweight title clash on May 26, the 29-year-old insists his move up in weight is a positive step.
“A few days before the fight I was I was weighing about a stone over (the weight) and being so close to the bout that was never good news,” said Amar (25-2).
“I hit a brick wall because there was nothing more to come out but fluid. That meant dehydrating myself but, because I was determined to make the fight, I hit the weight.
“I felt drained. I remember coming back to my corner after the second round and at that point I realised it was going to be a tough fight. I knew that if Purdy saw me tiring, it would encourage him, but I had no energy past that second round.
“So, after the Purdy loss, I decided to box at a more natural weight. I’ve been at 11 1./2 stone before and I’ve felt strong and powerful. At welterweight I’ve often faded halfway through fights.”
Amar has been sparring with former WBC light-welterweight world champion Junior Witter as the latter prepares for a tilt at Colin Lynes’ British welterweight crown.
“Preparation has been brilliant,” said Amar. “I’ve had a good 12 rounds’ sparring with Witter and I feel much more comfortable at a higher weight. I was punishing myself previously and I’m not training that way any more.”
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