OLLIE Cooper has at last secured the big fight he craved.
The tall Cannock puncher will face Essex’s James Osborne for the vacant English super-middle title at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on May 12.
For Cooper, unbeaten in 12, the opportunity is just reward for two chilling performances in Midlands title fights. The 25-year-old halted previously unbeaten Liam O’Hare in six to take the belt, then sparked out Tom Ramsden in three.
He appears to be getting better – and more dangerous – with each contest. For some time, Richard Carter, who trains Cooper at his bustling Wolverhampton gym, has been telling me how gifted the young fighter is, that he is something special.
Each performance adds weight to those words. “One hundred per cent this has come at the right time,” Carter said of the English showdown. “He’s not interested about taking the journeyman route, he wants meaningful fights.
Cooper certainly holds the physical advantages over Osborne in an all southpaw clash. For starters, he’s eight inches taller, has a much longer reach and, I believe, has the edge in firepower. He’s also nine years younger.
The Essex fighter, with one points loss in 14 has booked his slot after winning GBM Sports “The Heist” – a one night, last-man-standing super-middleweight competition.
Osborne really shone in that tournament, staged in Hull last November. He showed guts and heavy hitting, taking just 29 seconds to blast out Ryszard Lewicki in the final.
You can be gung-ho in those “rock ‘em sock ‘em” bouts: over the three round format, you can take punches to land punches. You can’t do that over 10 rounds. The punishment takes a sickening toll.
In February, Carter told me: “I think Ollie’s British title level, he’s a very, very talented lad – and fans haven’t seen the best of him yet. There’s much more to come.
“I know what Ollie can do, I know what he’s capable of. He’s a different fighter now. He’s confident, he really wants to do things.”
And if he beats Osborne, the next goal on Ollie’s “to do” list is the British title.
