Shaun: Has Maxwell made a big mistake?

Shaun Cooper….can’t wait to face world title challenger Sam

SHAUN Cooper has warned fans there’s an upset in the offing as his against-all-odds battle with former British light-welter champ Sam Maxwell looms.

The pair clash over six rounds at Nottingham Arena on Saturday in a bout former British light-welter champ Maxwell may see as the first step on the road to getting back to where he belongs.

That, stressed Willenhall’s Cooper, would be a big mistake.

He told fightcity: “It’s a 50-50 fight. I’m no mug, there are two Top Ten lads on my record and I did good against both of them.

“He’s a champion, but he’s been beaten and he’s coming off a stoppage loss. Have I got him at the right time? I think I could have. Has he made a mistake?”

The bout carries high risks, but potentially very big rewards for Cooper who, at 26, has experienced a rollercoaster, 17 fight career.

After beating big punching Boy Jones for the WBO youth lightweight title, Cooper appeared destined for big things.

The meteoric rise came to a juddering halt in his very next bout, Jack O’Keeffe halting the prospect with body shots. The Midlands lightweight title was on the line that night.

Since then, the opposition has been cranked-up for Cooper – and he’s performed well on major televised shows.

His last fought in April last year, reaching the semis of the wildly popular Ultimate Boxxer tournament, where eight fighters battle it out in a last-man-standing competition of three round bouts.

Cooper was KOd by muscular powerhouse Rylan Charlton.

“Was taken part in it a mistake?” he pondered. “It sort of was and it wasn’t. I don’t think the three rounds suited me. It’s been a long time since I boxed three rounds, but there were fresh pros in it who had only just stopped boxing three rounds.

“But I had to go for it. The exposure, money and ranking meant I had to go for it. It can change your life.”

Cooper’s career hit a low last September when he failed to make weight for a Midlands title fight down at junior-lightweight.

There were reasons for the blip, he stressed.

“I lost two grandparents the weeks before the fight,” he said. “It hit me hard and I struggled, I couldn’t do it. I explained that to the Board (of Control).”

Saturday gives Cooper a fast-track to glory and, up at 10stone, he’s brimming in confidence over the task ahead.

“I am really looking forward to it,” he beamed. “We wanted it to be eight rounds. Physically, mentally, the training has been the best. The sparring has been on-point, but it’s all on the day. Believe me, Sam Maxwell will have issues with me, there may be a big upset.

“I can’t take nothing away from Sam Maxwell. But there have been fighters who have boxed his head off, then got caught with a shot. That’s what he does, waits to fire that backhand.

“Super-lightweight (light-welter in old money) suits me physically. I’m now training to win fights, not training to lose weight and win fights, and I’m punching with power.

“I’m there to get the win and walk away with the win.”

Victory over Maxwell, Liverpool’s former outstanding amateur, would constitute a big upset – and, remember, Maxwell is also looking to make a statement after being stopped by Alejandro Meneses, with the IBO version of the world title on the line, 10 months ago.

He’s skilful, hits hard and looked masterful in halting previously unbeaten Connor Parker in a 2019 European title fight. Whisper it, but I fancied Connor to pull off an upset.

Maxwell’s record shows only one loss in 17. I believe it should be two: Akeem Ennis Brown seemed dreadfully unlucky not to have his hand raised following their 2001 British and Commonwealth clash.

We know Maxwell can be beaten and Cooper believes he has the tools to beat him.

“I want titles,” he added. “The Midlands title is great, but I want to be pushing for the English and the British.

“Maxwell wants to fight (British champ) Dalton Smith, but he’s got to get past me first.

“With that fight on the line, he’s taking a hell of a risk against me.”