MANZO Smith, 22, had to say goodbye to his unbeaten professional run, and hello to a gruelling training program that he has set for himself, in the wake of his defeat at the hands of Gary Harrison last Friday at Yorke Hall.

The Walthamstow welterweight lost 39-37 on points in the closely contested battle, even though Manzo thought he had done enough to win it: "At one point I thought I had won, but it's just one of those things. I boxed my heart out and it was a close fight.

"I tried to counter-punch him and I was waiting for him to come forward at me. I should have moved around more."

"Even though I thought I had beaten him, I have no disagreement with the decision."

The fight was Manzo's first defeat in the two years since he turned professional, and although the loss of his clean sheets will have hurt, he knows that he is the only one who can make sure it never happens again:

"Now I've just got to train harder, even though I already go to the gym five days a week and run on Saturdays.

"The only thing I can do to up my fitness is do a bit more road running, you can never be too fit, there is no such thing.

"I felt fit enough during the fight, I was fine, but if I have that bit extra hopefully that won't happen again."

Manzo now has a fight lined up in two or three weeks time against an as-yet unknown opponent.