Dedicated Spike O’Sullivan dreaming of “really big names” ahead of ESPN opportunity

Spike O’Sullivan Jr had his first birthday on Tuesday in Cork, but his father was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Duty called for Spike O’Sullivan Sr, and the middleweight contender is in Boston putting the finishing touches on his preparations before stepping into the ring on Saturday night on a massive stage.

O’Sullivan headlines a Golden Boy on ESPN card at the House of Blues, taking on English fighter Nick Quigley [15(3)-2(1)] with the platform promising some huge fights if he can win in style.

33 year old O’Sullivan [25(17)-2(1)] is often slagged by his gym mates at the Celtic Warriors Gym in Dublin for his work ethic, but the Leesider asserts that things are different this time as he makes a renewed, perhaps final, charge at the top level.

O’Sullivan told Irish-Boxing.com that “to be honest I’ve probably never actually given 100% in preparation for any fight.”

“Closest I’ve come to giving 100% was for the [Anthony] Fitzgerald fight as I was out to win that more than any other fight.”

“But I feel I have given 100% this time and I’m ready to put that on display.”

“I’m going to show all the hard work I’ve put in – people will see it first when I step on the scales, I’m in the best shape of my career

O’Sullivan stressed that he is still “highly motivated” despite a more glamourous fight with Gabe Rosado falling through.

Instead he faces Quigley, whose younger brother Johnny was defeated during the Summer by O’Sullivan’s former gym mate Jono Carroll.

A hungry fighter, it’s a challenge that certainly shouldn’t been underestimated and O’Sullivan’s odds of 1/6 doesn’t paint the full picture.

That said, Spike is predicting a stoppage against the Scouser.

The former Irish middleweight champion notes how “I’ve watched a few of his fights, he is a game lad that comes to fight but I believe this is a step too far for him and I’ll win inside the distance.”

Such a win, live on nationwide American TV, could propel O’Sullivan to a big fight and the Ringmahon man knows the importance of the fight this weekend.

O’Sullivan outlined how “I always look to make big statements no matter where or on what channel I fight, so it’s all the same to me – but at the same time, I am really happy to fight on ESPN to show a very large audience what I got.”

“I think it will lead to really big name fights in the very near future which I really look forward to.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)