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With GGG fight off – for now – Spike O’Sullivan promises to show his Mexican style


Ricky Hatton became the ‘Manchester Mexican’ when he fought Jose Luis Castillo and Floyd Mayweather Jr donned a Sombrero to goad Oscar De La Hoya but Spike O’Sullivan will be looking for some Mexican love tonight in Carson.

The Cork middleweight fights Berlin Abreu [14(11)-1(1)] at the StubHub Centre just outside of Los Angeles and is hoping to be adopted by the heavily Hispanic crowd on this ‘Cinco De Mayo’ weekend.

While his waxed moustache may be more of the style of an 1800s prizefighter than a vaquero or bandito, O’Sullivan [27(19)-2(1)] believes he has fighting approach of a Mexican which will be appreciated by the fans in attendance tonight.

“I’ve got a surprise in store for the Mexican people,” he promised. “I fight like a Mexican fighter and I think they’re going to like me.”

“I’ve always been a fan of Mexican boxing and the Mexican people, they’re a warrior people like the Irish people.”

“I’m an all-action fighter and the Mexican people are going to love it. I’m going to put on a show for them.”

In Puerto Rican Abreu he faces a fighter coming up from welterweight. Nevertheless, O’Sullivan is not underestimating his opponent.

The Mahon man described how “I expect a good fight, my opponent has got a good record, he has a high knockout ratio. I respect him, I’ve got to show respect, I look forward to a good fight.”

“I’m coming to bring some action and I think his style will provide that and it’s going to make for a good fight for the fans.”

“I’ve seen a bit of footage, not a great deal, but I’ve seen enough for what I need. I always expect a KO, every fight, I always go for the KO, every time without fail.”

Training harder than ever – he weighed in at 158.2lbs, his lightest weight in almost nine years – and coming into the bout off the back of two successive career-best performances, O’Sullivan is full of confidence.

The fighter, who puts his WBO Inter-Continental title on the line, stated that “I think, right now, I can knock anybody out. I’m at my best, I’m getting better every fight.”

“They keep lining them up and I keep knocking them out and Friday night will be no different.”

Of course, O’Sullivan was in the frame to face unified middleweight king Gennady Golovkin tomorrow night at the same venue.

The Leesider, however, withdrew from the bout having seen the offer cut substantially while Golden Boy came in with a multi-fight deal.

Looking to secure his family’s future, as well as backing himself to build toward a fight at a later date with either Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez, O’Sullivan took this deal and has no real regrets.

The Celtic Warriors fighter explained how “there’s an element of disappointment, not fighting for the world title.”

“I’m a fighter, I’ve been dreaming of being world champion since I was bloody five years of age but I believe that that day is going to happen anyway, regardless, so there’s not that much disappointment.”

“The deal that Golden Boy gave me is an absolute fantastic deal along with Murphys Boxing. It’s softened that disappointment vastly.”

“I will get that world title fight eventually, I will be world champion. I’m a patient man, I can wait, and I’m going to enjoy this time. I’ll be world champion when the time is right.”

Tonight’s fight will be shown live on ESPN in America and on eir Sports 1 in Ireland from 3:30am (Irish time)

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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