Ibrahim Balla on Tabanao defeat: “That one loss isn’t going to define me”

DEFEAT was a difficult pill to swallow for Ibrahim Balla.

Undefeated as a professional for three years and having captured two Australian titles in as many divisions, few expected the former Olympian to face adversity anytime soon. But as fate would have it, Balla would run into the unexpected speed bump that was hard-nosed Filipino import Neil John Tabanao in June.

A failed weigh-in and less than three rounds later, Balla (now 9-1, 6 KOs) had been felled twice, tasting defeat for the first time in the paid ranks.

Six months on, the humbled 26-year-old attempts to rebuild from his lone career blemish when he faces former Indonesian featherweight titleholder Agus Kustiawan as part of the stacked ‘Punches at the Park II’ card put together by Hosking Promotions at the Melbourne Park Function Centre.

“I think the loss has made me more mature, I feel it made me mentally stronger.” said Balla in an interview with Aus-Boxing. “You can take a loss as something that is negative or positive, I really think I have turned it around to a positive. It has made me put more emphasis on training – getting back to the drawing board – and concentrating on the basics.”

“I now have a different mindset. I know I have the skill, ability and talent to be a top fighter and it now has made me a lot more hungrier.”

“I now want to prove a point. I look at it this way, there have been plenty of world champions that have lost early in their careers and they went on to win world titles. So I look at that.”

“That one loss isn’t going to define me.”

If his words are anything to go by, Balla appears to have the mindset of a fighter that is determined to prove that there is indeed life after loss. As we have see many times before, a loss can often serve as a necessary reminder of the fragility that lies underneath an unblemished record.

But with the ten round non-title fight against Kustiawan serving as his final hit-out for the year, the Melburnian is desperate finish his 2016 campaign on a strong note.

“This will be my final fight for the year and I really want to go out with a bang,” he continued. “I was scheduled to have a few fights prior to this, but I have had a couple of injuries. So I want to make up for lost time. I’m just looking forward to being back in the ring again.”

“This fight is really going to be a fight to get me back on the horse. He is a tough opponent and I didn’t want any favours with coming back to an easy fight. For me, it’s about getting back in there and ending the year with a good fight. I aim to finish the year off with a win.”

Despite the setback against Tabanao, Balla hasn’t let the loss deter his spirit or his aspirations to challenge for regional title honours in the immediate future. As far as he is concerned, his calibre of opponents will only improve with each passing fight.

“Looking ahead, I’m hoping to claim a regional title and aim to get a top fifteen spot by the end of 2017,” he concluded. “I’m always aiming to fight better opponents each time around. For my last fight, I felt everything just happened quick. I didn’t get in a full proper training camp, but I still had the confidence in myself to go out and perform and win.”

“Obviously it didn’t turn out that way and I see it as a lesson learned. But I’ve had a lot of preparation this time around, as I’ve been sparring my brother, Jason Moloney as well as Billy Dib.”

“You can expect to see a real hungry Ibrahim Balla this fight. I really look forward to putting on a convincing performance.”

To secure your tickets to Hosking Promotions ‘Punches at the Park II’, please click here.

Photo: Louie Abigail/Photography by Rockfingrz