Decky Dalton: I don’t think Peter Queally will fight another man from Belfast after this one!
Norman Parke may have withdrawn from their Cage Legacy main event showdown, but Decky Dalton remains confident and unnerved by his replacement, Peter “The Showstopper” Queally.
In spite of the unwanted commotion it caused this week, the Belfast man expressed a desire to make a statement on the 28th October in Drogheda.
Dalton (6-1) returns to action following a first round loss to Gary Morris (8-10) at Clan Wars 24; the first loss of his professional career.
His opponent, Peter Queally (8-3) also looks to get back to winning ways following a shock unanimous decision loss to Joe McColgan (3-0) at BAMMA 26.
“He was one of the first names mentioned when we got the list back of possible opponents. We were supposed to look at a couple of different people but it just made sense,” said Dalton, speaking to Fightstore Media.
Although Queally fights at welterweight, Dalton explains that they agreed on a catch weight of 72 kg for the bout, which should serve as an interesting match of styles.
“The pressure is on him to perform. The pressure was never on me, I always brush things off pretty well. If he wants to make it ‘do or die’ then it’s up to him to bring that mentality into the cage,” he said.
“He’ll get desperate when I hit him; I know that for a fact. Then he’ll clinch and try drag the fight out to stay comfortable.”
“The Diamond,” as he’s known, is good friends with Queally’s previous opponent McColgan and strongly believes that ‘he’ll not want to fight another man from Belfast again after this one’.
An easier opponent was not something that Dalton wanted, he said, “I would rather have someone who’s going to bring a fight into the cage. If he does get desperate [to win] it’ll be a better fight.”
Having been through a difficult time in his career, Dalton is adamant that he’s in the best shape of his life and that it would be wrong for anyone to underestimate him.
“I haven’t had that many fights for people to see what I can do. Sometimes I haven’t had the best preparation for fights. When I was cutting to 66 kg I don’t know what I was thinking or what I had in my head because it was the wrong weight for me,” he explains.
“If you look at all my fights at 66 they’re decisions and then if you look at all the ones at 70 they’re stoppages and KO’s. You’d be in danger if you were to underestimate me!”
Following his loss to Morris, Dalton made the decision to join up with Declan Kenna in Full Power Gym, Drogheda. The new arrangements had a positive effect, allowing him to improve both physically and mentally as a fighter.
“I don’t think anyone should judge me on my last fight and my preparation for that one. I was going through a tough time at that stage and I still dragged myself to the cage. I probably shouldn’t have been there. This time I’m really healthy and I’ve found the right weight class,” said Dalton.
In terms of predictions, he said, “Anything can happen when the door closes and that’s how you have to look at it. But I don’t see it going past the first or second round.”
The Belfast man expects to hurt him ‘early’ and believes that Queally will try to initiate the clinch to avoid getting hit.
Whatever way the fight goes, it offers Dalton the opportunity to test himself against one of the best fighters in the UK and Ireland and he is determined to seize it with both hands.
Should he come away victorious a possible bout with Norman Parke would interest him. “It depends who wants to put it on their show. I wouldn’t ‘not’ fight anyone if the money was right,” he said.
Decky Dalton would like thank his sponsors ABCO Marine Ltd., Conroy Transport and Dee Graham Tailor Made Suits along with his family and friends for being so supportive.
You can watch Cage Legacy Fighting Championship 1 on 28th October at the TLT Theatre, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Decky Dalton on Twitter and Facebook.
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