PADDY Fitzpatrick believes Sam ‘Sniper’ Smith will benefit from Saturday’s knockout defeat to Kirk Garvey in London.

Smith was stopped in the seventh round after making a promising start to the bout when dropping Garvey in the first round.

But the Ferndale Road trainer admitted inexperience told as the Swindon-based boxer failed to build on his early work, eventually running out of steam in what proved to be an entertaining fight.

Fitzpatrick said: "We knew we were taking an educated risk before the fight.

“Kirk is a two-times ABA Champ and a national champion. We believed it was a worthwhile risk to take though, and we still think that.

“He went out in the first three rounds and forced Kirk against his nature – turning him from a boxer to a fighter.

“They traded shots and then Sniper dropped him. Kirk got up unsteady and Sniper went after him, but he survived.

“Kirk was out-boxed for the next three rounds, but Sniper was exhausted.”

The loss means Sniper’s unbeaten 4-0 record came to an end while Garvey added to his winning record, now standing at 11-1.

Fitzpatrick pinned Sniper’s weakness on not knowing how to react after dropping an opponent, adding neither fighter on Saturday was a ‘puncher’.

It i’s something Fitzpatrick is more than used to dealing with after guiding George Groves through his WBA and IBF super-middleweight championship fight against Carl Froch five years ago.

Groves, like Sniper, dropped Froch in the opening round before struggling to build on his early success – eventually being stopped in the ninth round, but Fitzpatrick believes it’s something fighters can overcome with experience.

“When Sniper dropped Kirk it was something his brain wasn’t used to emotionally,” said Fitzpatrick.

“By the fifth round the only thing Kirk hadn’t done was drop Sniper – he was all over him.

“The seventh was back and forth before Kirk’s right hand shots to the body told. Sniper was blocking his body and leaving himself open.

“I can understand the referee’s decision. It was clear Sniper had little left in the tank.”

Fitzpatrick was full of praise for both fighters after the bout and refused to rule out a re-match in the near future.

He said: “I was very pleased with his performance and proud with the way he conducted himself. Both fighters deserve great credit.

“Sniper didn’t have the experience of dropping someone in the first round. His body dumped adrenaline, it was down to inexperience.

“I spoke to both coaches after and highlighted how good it was to see both men fight like professionals and act like warriors.

“A re-match is on the cards certainly.”