PROFESSIONAL boxers are bred to be confident, to the point of bordering on arrogant.
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All the greatest boxers in history have been cocky, self-assured and loud-mouthed. Think Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather.
Unbeaten Brisbane fighter Shannon ‘Shaggy’ King is no exception to the rule.
The 36-year-old former muay thai fighter pulled no punches ahead of his Australian National Boxing Federation super welter-weight title fight against Orange native Sam Ah-See on Friday night.
Despite Ah-See’s stellar professional record, he is also unbeaten and six of his nine wins have come from knockouts, King showed little to no interest in the local fighter.
“I don’t even know what he looks like, nor do I care,” King said.
King’s fight plan is alarmingly simplistic.
“I’m coming here to knock him out,” King said, and he has every reason to be confident.
His stellar muay thai career has netted him a record of 38 fights for 34 wins, one draw and three losses - 25 of his wins were knockouts.
Since he defected to boxing, King showed raw power is not restricted to one fighting discipline.
“I don’t even know what he looks like, nor do I care ... I’m coming here to knock him out"
King made his professional boxing debut in mid-2012. Since then, he has had seven fights for seven wins. All knockouts.
“I know he has an amateur boxing background, so I assume he’ll be a point-getter, a worker.
"My background is thai boxing, and my fighting is based around power. I don’t think he will ever have been hit as hard as I’ll hit him.
"I’m seven fights for seven knockouts, there’s no point changing the plan now. I’ll be coming out swinging them around."
King was unperturbed at the prospect of playing the bad guy, in fact, he said he will relish the role in front of upward of 500 Ah-See fans.
“I’m no stranger to hostile crowds,” he said.
“I’ve fought at Homebush with thousands of people booing, and in stadiums where there was no one there. I’m not fussed with how the crowd treat me.”
King vacated the up for grabs title midway through 2013 due to injury, but said he still takes ownership over the belt.
“It’s my title,” he said.
“I’m very confident, and I want it back.”