BOXING coach Mark Breslin was impressed with his protégé Gary Rae’s professional debut win last week – but admitted he will keep picking fault in his fighter to ensure he continues to hit the heights.

Rae looked comfortable in his first live televised fight, stopping Jules Phillips in the second round at Glasgow’s Radisson Hotel.

However Breslin, who runs Barrhead ABC, insists it’s important for the Barrhead fighter to focus on what he can improve on despite the victory.

He said: “He was very nervous, as you would be and as I expect him to be. But I always pick out the negatives rather than the positives. There are 100 positives but I’ll pick out the three negatives there and that’s the reason why he is where he is today.

“Gary was too strong for him, he overpowered him and now we’ve got that out of the way we can look at the bigger picture.”

After signing with St Andrew’s Sporting Club, Rae has been asked to do more outside the ring. STV interviewed him at the show, but Breslin is convinced Rae will keep his feet on the ground.

He said: “He’s not getting his ego massaged but obviously I’m very pleased with his performance overall as are St Andrew’s Sporting Club. So much so that they’re looking to give a big push outwith his boxing ability and his ability to interview with the press because he’s done interviews with STV and he was very professional.”

Breslin is adamant his charge has the right mentality to win titles in the professional ranks and Breslin, along with Rae and St Andrew’s Sport Club, are planning for the long term.

He said: “You can tell the difference in the conditioning, but Gary lives and breathes the game.

“He eats right he’s not out and he’s got a settled lifestyle so it’s not like he’s out partying every weekend. He lives and breathes the game and That’s how you can see the difference in physical build there.

“If you look at Scott Allen, he’s basically who we’re chasing – we’ll get him, we’ll get his title and we’ll beat him.

“As I said, it’s going to take time easing him into it. But Gary looked like a giant next to him.

“We’ve got a five-year plan and a long, short and medium-term plan. In 18 months we’re looking at Scottish titles and then three or four years down the line we’re looking at British and European titles and then we’ll take it from there.”