Irish Boxing

‘Spike’ aiming to take next step

By Brendan Mooney
Friday, October 16, 2009

GARY ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan will take his professional boxing career to a new level when he challenges Ciarán Healy from Belfast for the vacant Irish middleweight title at Neptune Stadium in Cork on November 28.

A victory for the Corkman, who has a record of nine wins from nine professional fights, would catapult him into the top 15 in the European rankings and open up all kinds of possibilities.

Even before that happens his manager, Paschal Collins, hopes to have him signed up with promoter Frank Warren and O’Sullivan will do some of his training for the fight in Warren’s gym, where he will spar with the Olympic middleweight champion, James Degale, amongst others.

"I just can’t wait for this," insisted O’Sullivan at yesterday’s press conference at the Commons Inn, where he admitted that a spell on the sidelines with a hand injury has left him hungry for a fight. Last July he broke a bone in his hand in his victory over the former European Thai boxing champion, Arturs Jaskuls, at the NBA in Tallaght.

He broke the bone in the very first round and boxed the remaining five in excruciating pain. The break subsequently required surgery and, while he has not been able to spar, he has been doing plenty of road work and will be ready for his shot at the Irish title.

"I am ready for this one," he insisted. "It is the chance I have been waiting for. I know it is not going to be easy. Ciarán (Healy) is tough and he has been mixing it with the best of them but at this stage in my career I have to be ready for opponents like that. There are not going to be any easy fights from here on."

In one of his two wins in Boston O’Sullivan won an AFO title, but a planned shot at the Intercontinental title was scuppered when he broke his hand.

"It could be a blessing in disguise," his trainer/manager Collins, said. "Irish boxing is highly regarded by the European Boxing Union and an Irish champion is now ranked 15th in the EBU rankings.

"Matthew Macklin held the Irish middleweight title but he had to vacate it when he won the European crown. The following Monday I was on to Mel Christle, president of the IBU, offering a challenge for the title and it was accepted.

"Ciarán Healy is a former champion and has fought the likes of Andy Lee and he will be ready for this fight, as he will box on the undercard to the Martin Rogan British heavyweight title defence two weeks earlier."

He said that on Monday and Tuesday of this week himself and his brother Steve, the former undefeated WBO world super middleweight champion, were in negotiations with Warren, and O’Sullivan was discussed.

"We are currently preparing promotional forms to be signed," he said. "I have boxed for Frank Warren and I always found him very trustworthy. If Spike wins the Irish title and then moves in that direction, he will be following in the footsteps of my brother, Steve."

The Neptune Stadium extravaganza on November 28 will be one of five professional shows in Ireland in six weeks. Next weekend, Corkman Don O’Leary joins forces with former European bronze medallist, Philip Sutcliffe, under the DolPhil banner to promote a star-studded show at the National Stadium.

Yesterday, Brian Peters Promotions confirmed details of Paul McCloskey’s European title bid against the former world champion, Souleymane M’baye, in Magherafelt on November 6, then there is the Martin Rogan title defence, the Andy Lee fight in Limerick on November 14 before the Spike O’Sullivan-Ciarán Healy Irish title fight in Cork.

Multiple world and European champion, Katie Taylor, will be in Fermoy tonight for the official opening of the St John’s Boxing Club.

She will be accorded a civic welcome at Fermoy Town Hall at 6.30pm before going on to perform the official opening of the new club.

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I dont think Ciaran Healy will test Spike too much.....
But on the other hand Spike can be very easily beaten with John Breen Training Healy and getting him some decent sparring...
After seeing Spike on the Hyland under-Card i was very disappointed in his performance and can see him getting beating by Ciaran Healy if he is not 100% on his game...

It is a tough weight to hold the Irish Title with James Moore, Neil Sinclair, Henry Coyle, Willie Thompson and Lee Murtagh all in the same weight

 

Is Neil Sinclair not already the Irish champ:think

 

jim rock must have vacated the title wonder if spike wins would he defend it against the winner of long and fitzgerald great buzz for irish fighters or will collins keep him wraped in cotton wool

 

the spike i saw on cork on Gary Hydes last card would dismantle Healy however if the spike that fought on the hyland card turns up it could be a different story altogether

 

this fight is for the Irish Middleweight title not the Light Middleweight title:deal

Macklin vacated

 

This is all getting confusing:?.......
Is Spike a Middle-Weight or a Light Middle-Weight
And which title is he fighting for:
If it is the Middle-Weight it was vacated by Matthew Macklin
If it was the Light Middle-Weight it was vacated by Jamie Moore for Sinclair vs Coyle

Either way they are 2 very tough weights in irish boxing,
And if Spike wins he has 6 very tough guys to beat in both weight divisions to hold onto which ever title he is fighting for.

Light Middle weight:James Moore, Neil Sinclair, Henry Coyle, Willie Thompson, Lee Murtagh and Thomas McDonagh
Middle-Weight: Andy Lee, Robbie Long, Anthony Fitzgerald, Simon O'Donnell, Martin Murray and Jason McKay

 

who ?? i thought he wsas english ?

 

imagine an irish prize fighter in those two weights

 

He is English but he is from Irish decent and eligible for the Irish title....

 

Surely Peters might have an interest in it....Get R.T.E to cover it
Would make Marketing sense but cant see it happening anytime in the next few years

 

McKay retired earlier this year did he not?

 

yeah thats right...jason has retired

 

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Maybe what time is it on and where?
I'm considering driving down to Limerick for the Lee fight and my Mrs will want to get kip in the afternoon so I might get a chance to nip out for it.
can you give me details?

 

i just read the article and it said he broke a bone in his hand so that maybe why he was so bad....this is poor matchmaking imo..it only took degale a few minutes to spark healy out so i predict a spike ko in rd 3..i hope he signs with warren because he will get fight nearly every month..when did breen start training healy?