O’Neill the next test for talented Bradley

Bradley Goldsmith at the press conference for Planet Ice show

WITHOUT putting a jinx on things, Bradley Goldsmith, at this stage of his career, looks something special.

In his eight professional bouts, the 25-year-old, trained by Dominic Ingle in Sheffield, has shown poise, power and that all important spite.

What’s more, Goldsmith is backed by a huge Coventry following. With Aaron Bowen also making waves, it’s been a long-time, boxing wise, since the sun shone so brightly on the sky blue horizon.

I like the way Goldsmith, and his team, are conducting early business. Bradley is removing the rough edges off radar on small hall shows before performing in front of TV cameras.

He continues the professional apprenticeship on Tommy Owens’ major September 9 show at Planet Ice, Solihull.

In the opposite corner will be Sunderland’s Greg O’Neill who has won six of 15 (one draw).

It looks a good learning fight. O’Neill, aged 32, has faced very good men, including Felix Cash and Ben Whittaker.

His career has been stop-start: O’Neill turned pro 11 years ago, but took a three year break after being stopped by Alex Hughes in 2018.

Goldsmith is coming off a two round demolition of Egidijius Zukas at the Hangar, Wolverhampton, a peach of a body shot bringing the contest to a premature close.

O’Neill won’t just be hit by him, but also by a wall of sound generated by Goldsmith’s fans. The level of support Bradley enjoys, in an age when purse strings are being tightened, is astonishing.

He told me: “For me, it’s incredible. The support I’ve got is second-to-none. With each fight it’s getting bigger and bigger, more people talk about my next fight. What’s going on in the world now, with rising bills, adds to my gratitude to those people.

“I think they appreciate the fact I’ve done this from such an early age. I’m doing what I always said I would do and people admire that. I’ll always remember where I started.”

He added: “I’m slowly, but surely, turning myself into a future star.”

I can’t see O’Neill stopping that from happening.