“I Think About Him All The Time’ – O’Rourke on Late Johns Cooney’s Memory, Perspective and Purpose
Ryan O’Rourke admits that as the pace picks up in camp and the weight begins to fall off, one thought always comes to him — how lucky he is to still be here doing what he loves.
And that thought, he says, is inseparable from the memory of his late friend and teammate John Cooney , whose sudden and heartbreaking passing continues to influence the way the Dubliner trains, fights and views his own career.
Speaking ahead of his next venture, a step up fight against undefeated American opposition, the well-travelled operator paused when recalling how Cooney’s crosses his mind during the toughest sessions, especially in the quiet moments when doubt or fatigue creep in.
“I think about John all the time, especially in the gym coming up to fights,” O’Rourke said. “I was on the bike earlier, sweating in a suit, feeling knackered — and I just thought: what a privilege it is to still be able to do this.”
What might seem like a simple thought carries a heavy truth for O’Rourke. John, who was “one fight away from a British title,” never got the chance to fulfil the promise everyone around him believed he had.
“It shows how quickly not only your dreams but life can be taken away,” he said softly. “It was taken from him in a very early, very untimely manner. He was right on the brink.”
O’Rourke said it changed something in him — a deeper sense of appreciation and a sharper understanding of what it means to step into the ring healthy and motivated.
“Most of my mates are on the building site every day. What a privilege it is that I get to push myself, to do this for a living. It’s something I don’t take for granted anymore,” he adds before stressing a belief Cooney does watch over him.
“I do believe I have good spirits looking over me when I step into the ring,” he said. “They keep me safe. It gives me great confidence.”
The tragic manner of Cooney’s passing and the mourning that came with it weighs heavily, but the Steven O’Rourke-trained fighter tries to use his friend’s memory as inspiration.
“Thinking about him doesn’t make things harder,” O’Rourke said. “It reminds me why I’m doing this. It pushes me on. It keeps me grounded. And it keeps me grateful.”
