Tough tests for Ollie, Zach and Niall on big Cannock show

Ollie Cooper in action. Picture: Michael Ault/BCB Promotions

PROFESSIONAL boxers in Cannock are a bit like buses.

You wait an age for one to come along, then two turn-up at once. Exciting prospects, at that.

What’s more, the rise of Ollie Cooper and Zach Evans has been considerably boosted by hometown promoter Scott Murray who has breathed new life into pro boxing in Staffordshire’s pit town.

Both unbeaten boxers will appear on Scott’s show at his Premier Suite on Sunday, April 28. The first Cannock public show in many a year, it’s a sell-out – and that’s largely down to the ticket-selling prowess of Cooper and Evans.

“They’ve done amazing well,” said Murray. “It goes to show there’s a real appetite for the sport in this area.”

Scott aims to repay both by getting them Midlands title fights this year.

I’m excited about next Sunday’s bill. I’ve always considered Cannock my adopted home, having spent the majority of my near 50 year journalistic career as a reporter there.

And I take special interest in pro boxing’s re-birth in the area. Cannock promoter Ron Gray provided immense help when I first began as a fight-writer. To an extent, Scott is continuing Ron’s legacy.

The bill, put together by matchmaker Jon Pegg, is a good one – and neither Cooper or Evans have been given an easy ride.

Cooper, exceptionally tall for a middleweight at 6ft 5ins, could well have a torrid night against rugged, tungsten tough Mikey Byles – if he allows himself to be drawn into a brawl.

It looks a very good fight.

I watched Byles engage in an astonishing scrap with Liam O’Hare at Murray’s Excelsior Sporting Club, also based at the Premier Suite, last month.

He absorbed right hands that would have felled an elephant, at times looked on the brink of being overwhelmed, yet always came back swinging.

The hardman has a heart as big as a bucket.

He’s now working full time with experienced Bristol coach Chris Sanigar who has, no doubt, improved that leaky defence.

I’m sure Cooper’s trainer Richie Carter – considered something of a sage in the business – is aware, but the key would appear to be to keep it long, yet hurtful, in the first half of the six rounder. Drain Byles ambition and resilience, then press down on the pedal.

Cooper, unbeaten in seven, is being guided sensibly through his ring apprenticeship.

The opposition was cranked-up for the 23-year-old’s last two contests – his first six rounders – and Ollie had to dig a lot deeper.

Those battles will stand him in good stead for a beast like Byles.

“I was there for the O’Hare-Byles fight to look at the pair of them,” Ollie said. “Byles was dazed a couple of times. I think I’ll be too skilful and take over as the fight goes on.”

Despite not yet stopping an opponent, Ollie pledged: “The power is there and I think you’ll see the strength in this one.”

It was hoped Ollie would face the winner of O’Hare and Tom Brennan, who meet for the vacant Midlands middleweight title, after next week’s Cannock outing.

But the O’Hare-Brennan bout has twice been rescheduled and is now set to take place on June 1 in Swindon.

Ollie and his team are not prepared to wait and kick their heels.

“It keeps on being pushed back,” said Cooper who has a demanding day job erecting plaster boards – “carrying 30 kilo plaster boards is great training”.

“It does mean I’ll be fighting on the next Excelsior show in May. I’m getting better with each fight and the opposition has progressed in terms of toughness.

“At present I’m making the middleweight limit without problems, but there will be a time when I have to step-up (to super-middle).”

Zach Evans…faces gritty Bulgarian on the Sunday show

I’ve been impressed with light-middleweight Zach Evans’ progress. I watched him demolish usually durable Petar Aleksandrov in Dudley. The 26-year-old was ruthless and razor sharp.

At Cannock, he faces Ilyan Markov, a Bulgarian who has mixed in very good company, over six rounds.

Markov has tangled with the likes of British middleweight champ Nathan Heaney, Commonwealth silver titleholder Ryan Kelly, red-hot welter Conah Walker and Midlands light-middle champ Ashlee Eales.

With close to 40 bouts under his belt, Markov is a test for Evans who will be having his fifth outing.

Niall Farrell…faces potentially his stiffest test to date

Birmingham’s Niall Farrell, recently crowned Midlands prospect of the year, is being tipped for very big things after a star-studded amateur career.

The 26-year-old lightweight, unbeaten in seven, cranks up the opposition in Cannock. Niall faces Manchester’s Dan Booth over six rounds.

Booth comes with a winning record – 6-5 – and carries a dig, with half his victories coming inside distance. He’s also fought for the Central Area light-welter belt, taking Lee Appleyard the full course.

It is, on paper, Farrell’s hardest fight to date. We’ll know a lot more about the Kingstanding hope after this one.

The show also features Telford light-heavy Harry Fiaz and super-middleweight newcomer Todd Tompkins from Birmingham.