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Michael Katsidis was left searching for answers following a lethargic performance in his defeat to Ricky Burns at Wembley Arena.
The Australian felt exhausted after the opening round of the interim WBO lightweight title fight in north London and was unable to generate power in his legs during the 12-round contest.
The Scotsman won decisively on points with scores of 117-112, 117-111 and 117-111, although the fight appeared to be a bit closer than those numbers suggested.
“After the first round tonight, I just didn’t have it,” Katsidis said.
“On the night I was very tired after the first, I felt like I had fought eight rounds.”
It was the sight of the taller Burns absorbing most of Katsidis’ blows without too much trouble that will be most concerning for the Queenslander’s camp.
The Australian has lost three of his past four fights and lacked sharpness on Saturday night.
With a perforated ear drum stopping him from hearing his corner during rounds, Katsidis kept on attacking throughout the fight.
But he lacked that bit of spark and was unable to really damage the Scot who finished the fight without barely a mark on his face.
Burns, as he predicted pre-fight, used his 10cm reach advantage to keep Katsidis at bay throughout the 12-round contest.
“Last year I don’t think he would have gone the distance with me but last year is last year,” Katsidis said.
“Now is now, now is he coming up and he has done well.
“If a guy sat in the ropes like that in the past, I would have biffed him out of there and I just did not have it there. It was not there.”
Katsidis provided his usual whole-hearted approach, constantly moving forward and taking plenty of blows from Burns and the Scot never threatened to knock him down.
In the final stages of the fight Katsidis desperately tried to unsettle Burns but it was a sign of his waning powers that the 28-year-old from Glasgow’s outer suburbs was able to withstand it.
Although he has fought most of his career at lightweight, two-time world title holder Katsidis said it might be time for him to move permanently up to junior welterweight.
“With all my other fights at lightweight I am just not performing whereas my last night at junior welter, I took the guy out with a clean shot,” he said.
“So I think junior welter might be better suited to me.”
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