Kurt Walker said he was "devastated" to lose out on an Olympic medal on a split decision in Tokyo on Sunday morning.
Walker, 26, gave it everything against American pro Duke Ragan in their featherweight quarter-final clash and won the second and third rounds 3-2 with the judges.
But Ragan was fast out of the blocks and winning the first round 5-0 ultimately clinched the victory, preventing Walkers' third win of the Games in eight days.
“I’m devastated but that’s boxing, 3-2, that’s the way it goes," said the Lisburn man. "I’ve done well in this tournament and I’m proud of myself.
“I haven’t watched it back but I thought I was better in the second and third, but it was so close.
"He took the first, I know he took the first. He just let me go. I knew he was super fast so I wanted to see how much of his jab would get through but it didn’t. I knew I would be able to push the second and third but t was just a bit too late.
"I thought the second could have been clear to me but I don’t know. I haven’t watched it back. I might have been taking shots that I can’t remember.
"The first was just a chess game and he was better. I’m not tired. I’m as fit as a fiddle. It was more him dragging me down, pulling but that’s smart stuff. He’s smart, he’s a professional, he knows what to do, he knows how to tidy up."
Walker, a European champion in 2019, beat the top seed from Uzbekistan on his way to the quarter-finals, but he has no regrets that his journey ended without a place on the podium.
“No regrets," he said. "I wasn’t even supposed to be here a year ago."
Walker lost his Olympic qualifier in London in March 2020, just before the first Covid lockdown. He qualified for the Games in the end through his world ranking.
"To come and dominate and show everyone back home how good I am, I’m proud," he declared.
The impressive Ragan has four wins as a pro under his belt but is also allowed to compete for Billy Walsh's US team at the Games.
“That’s the rules," shrugged Walker. "It’s an amateur game but that’s the rules. I’ve beaten pros before so I can’t complain about being beaten by a pro.
“He's very good but I believe on my day I’m better, just with a little bit of a better start.
"I had two great starts in my first two fights and I’m normally a slow starter. So I’ve been doing well but he was just the better person in the first (round)."
Walker will assess where he goes next after he has a break. “Take a month off, spend it with my daughter and my family and see where it goes," he said.
His defeat followed the withdrawal of Aidan Walsh from his welterweight semi-final against Pat McCormack due to the ankle injury he sustained as he celebrated his bronze medal victory on Friday.
“I haven’t really seen him because he’s getting checked up and all," said Walker.
"But he’s an Olympic bronze medalist, which is a lot more than thousands of people at home who wish they could be, so I’m sure he’s very proud.”
