Ollie Cooper wants to prove a point on Cannock show
Ollie Cooper says next week’s title fight in Cannock gives him the chance to prove how good he is, writes Matt Bozeat.
Cooper challenges Liam O’Hare for the Midlands Area super-middleweight championship on the latest Excelsior Sporting Club show on Thursday night.
The 10-rounder between unbeatens goes ahead in Bar Sport’s Premier Suite after promoter Scott Murray forked out to get Cooper home advantage.
The 24-year-old southpaw has promised to repay Murray’s support with a career-best display to take the belt off the champion from Hereford.
Cooper believes O’Hare’s come-forward style will suit him.
The former Wolverhampton ABC amateur said: “I will be 10 times better than I’ve been before.
“It’s hard to do yourself justice when you fight journeymen who just tuck up, but he is going to bring it to me and he will find out that’s not a good idea!
“He comes forward with his chin in the air and it could be an early night.
“His last fight was against a southpaw and it was horrific. I’m a tall southpaw as well. The size is in my favour as well.”
The 6ft 6in Cooper says he’s benefitted from moving up in weight from middleweight.
“It was draining me to get my weight down,” he said. “I haven’t had to watch what I eat as much.”
Cooper says he plans to celebrate winning the belt by “filling my belly up” after giving Cannock fight fans a night to remember.
He said: “I have so many people I know coming to this. I can’t wait to hear the noise when I get in there.
“It’s a huge boost to be boxing in Cannock. It’s going to get me so hyped up and excited when I hear the crowd. I want to put on a show for all the people who have paid their money to come and support me.”
Sam Eggington, the former British, Commonwealth, European and IBO world champion, also boxes on the show, along with Cannock welterweight Zach Evans and unbeatens Shabir Haidary and James Hughes.
