Fight-Ready and Learning Fast – Antoine Og Mannion Eyes Win Number Two
Antoine Og Mannion didn’t plan on hitting the ground running – but that’s exactly what’s happened.
The Galway fighter made a solid start to life in the paid ranks earlier this year when he eventually broke down game New Zealander Dayton Koia.
The 31-year-old is back in action in the Grand Vaudeville, Condell Park, Australia, this weekend for his second professional bout and has another challenge locked.
The Australian-based Connacht native takes on Kaliova Tahikiaat, a Fijian with a winning record.
The Phillip Sutcliffe Jr.-trained boxer says the hard start wasn’t planned, but he is embracing the early momentum and learning quickly on the job.
“It wasn’t a deliberate choice,” O’Mannion says when speaking to Irish-boxing.com.
“Myself and Phil [Sutcliffe] told the promoter that I was looking to make my professional debut. They gave us a date and that was it. It’s the same thing again with this fight. They recommended the opponent to us and we accepted. I think this is a good fight for us.”
It’s an occurrence that has helped Og Mannion in terms of learning and entertaining. Boxing fighters with a willingness to trade leather means he is tested and the fans get to see some action.
“My opponent has three fights, two wins and a loss. All his fights have seen stoppages — so he’s stopped two and been stopped. He is a strong southpaw, so there will be nothing easy there,” he says looking forward to Saturday fight. “I’m looking forward to a hard contest but we’ve done the hard work and I’m excited to get in there.”
“I won’t make any predictions, but I think it has the makings of a good fight. He comes forward, so do I, so I think it will be a good contest.”
Looking back on his debut, he adds:
“I was very happy with it. I started slow, I didn’t use my jab in the first round, but I brought it into play in the second and settled into it. I was happy with the outcome. There are a few little things we need to work on, but overall very happy with it.”
As valuable as the rounds were, Og Mannion believes the biggest lessons came from everything that surrounded the fight — the preparation, the pressure, and the new realities of the pro game.
“It was more just getting in there — all fight week experience, all the build-up and all the talk,” he explains. “In the amateurs, you are getting into the ring but there isn’t as much talk about the fights beforehand. The small gloves as well, they are different — but more the whole build-up and the whole experience.
“I definitely had nerves before the last one. Obviously, that’s only natural and I still have some, maybe just less nerves this time. I’m looking forward to it — and more excited.”
Og Mainnion is one of a number of boxers getting the Crumlin schooling under one of Dublin’s favourite boxing sons, Sutcliffe.
“I really enjoy working with Phil,” he comments.
“I’m learning a lot from him. I think his style suits my style of boxing. I’ve had a good few amateur fights with him — there’s lots of tricks and stuff I can learn from him going forward.”
