THERE’S a real hidden gem of a clash on Scott Murray’s major May 23 show at Cannock’s Chase Leisure Centre.
Ashlee Eales against Irish light-middleweight champ Daniel O’Sullivan is a potential barnstormer.
Nuneaton’s Eales has asked for major tests. His prayers have certainly been answered in the shape of Dublin’s O’Sullivan whose won seven on the spin.
And former Midlands champ Eales has the talent to pull of what would be considered an upset. The 31-year-old bangs very hard and has more moves than a chess grand master.
The tattooed former dancer hits you from some very strange angles.
It all depends which Ashlee Eales turns up on the night.
He can dazzle, as he did in winning the area title by outpointing favoured Stanley Stannard, but he can also seemingly lose interest and go through the motions.
Eales, with two losses in 13, showed what he has in his locker against red-hot prospect Elliot Whale last December.
He took that 10 rounder at literally a few hours noticed, looked impressive in the early rounds, then struggled with the marathon distance. Whale won in the sixth.
Trainer Lee Spare freely admits his fighter’s application has sometimes been found wanting.
He freely admits frustration, but stresses Eales is a very gifted athlete. Maybe he should have added the line “on his day”.
O’Sullivan over eight rounds is the kind of opponent who’ll bring out the best in Eales. “He needs the threat of something to scare him, for want of a better word,” Spare said.
“He has all the talent in the world for someone who entered the game with so little experience. Mentally, he’s strong, self-belief is one of his strongest points. Therefore, application has sometimes been the issue. He needs opportunities that will stimulate him.
“Daniel O’Sullivan is a decent kid, he’s strong, he comes forward. Ashlee has all the skills to nullify him. I think Ashlee is capable of doing what he wants to do – it’s about how he applies himself.
“Obviously, world level is a long way off. But he has a good opportunity for domestic honours with the right development fight at the right time.”
Spare says Eales is now showing the tunnel vision and dedication required. “I’ve seen a big difference in him and hopefully we’ll see that on the 23rd.”
You have to give promoter Murray credit – his public shows certainly provide value for money. There are 10 scheduled bouts on the leisure centre bill.
Leo Fanthome, another fight from Spare’s stable, faces Jake Osgood over six rounds on the card. Carlisle’s Jake is a veteran of over 80 bouts.
Spare admits welter Fanthome has also, at times, frustrated him. With Leo, who has lost two of eight, self-belief is the issue.
“Against Osgood, it’s more about the performance than opponent,” Lee said. “I’m looking for more intensity from him. All the lads say he hits the hardest in the gym, he has natural power.
“We’re working on a more aggressive output. If he let his hands go with more sharpness and aggression he’d be stopping people. We’re looking to build confidence and make him realise how good he can be.”
