O’Hare: I want to be a British champion

O’Hare sizes up Matthews. Pic: GBM Sports/Leigh Dawney Photography

I HAVE now become used to the fact that before every Liam O’Hare fight, a number of people will approach me and whisper: “He used to do ballet!”

I know, but until the Hereford middle pirouettes in the ring or dances to Swan Lake during his entrance, I’d prefer to concentrate on his boxing.

Many, ,many years ago, I used to deliver milk. That doesn’t make me a former milkman.

And the 27-year-old can fight. Frankly, he’s a much, much better fighter than I thought he would be when turning pro in 2022.

He’s tough and is hitting harder with each outing. Canny manager PJ Rowson may have made yet another surprise find.

Last Saturday, O’Hare showed the progress made. On GBM’s major title show at Coventry Skydome, the current Midlands super-middle champ KOd usually durable Harry Matthews in the fourth and final round.

A sweet right hook ended The Pocklington Rocket’s evening.

That was Liam’s first taste of boxing’s big stage and he admitted: “When we touched gloves, my legs were shaking like a rabbit. I thought I was going to have less nerves than I did.

“I started the first a little slow but found my flow by the second. I did love the whole experience – the fight and the press conference. You knew I’d love the press conference.”

I did. O’Hare is a larger-than-life character.

Victory ended months of frustration for Liam whose progress has been stalled by a problematic Midlands middleweight title fight with Tom Brennan.

Two date for the 10 rounder were scrubbed following injuries to Brennan. First, they were scheduled to fight in March, then in June. O’Hare waited for a fight that never happened and has now been informed two other boxers have been matched for the belt.

He possesses an infectious belly-laugh. It may have been replaced by a sickly grin following that news.

Now it’s again onward and upward with a new team, although Rowson still guides the rural Rocky.

“PJ has placed a lot of time and faith in me and stuck by me through all the turbulence,” O’Hare said. “He always pulls something out of the hat and if it doesn’t work he pulls something else out of the hat.”

O’Hare has now switched his training base to Birmingham’s Eastside gym, home to such talents as Sam Eggington, Shakan Pitters and Kaisee Benjamin. He credits Jon Pegg, Soggy Counihan and the team for his increased power.

“I wasn’t looking for the knockout on Saturday,” he said. “I’ve been working on what they’ve told me at Eastside – relax and it will come. It came a couple of weeks ago in sparring.

“On Saturday, I kept my weight in the right place, the opportunity came and I took it. There’s such great sparring at Eastside, every day is a school day.”

With each win, O’Hare’s ambition and self-belief increases. He said: “My mid-term goal is the British title at middle, that is the next one on my list. I have a really good team, I commute to Birmingham to train, I’m moving towards full-time.”

O’Hare also wants to establish Hereford, a city many – quite wrongly - still primarily associate with cattle and cider, into a pro fight hub. He wants outsiders to remember the place for scrapping, not scrumpy.

“I want to inspire others by doing it out of Hereford,” he added. “I want to show that if you have the desire and belief you can do it anywhere.”

And one more thing about Liam O’Hare – he trained to be a ballet dancer. But I bet you knew that.