SPARKS WILL FLY AS BIG BANGS COLLIDE
13.09.23

SPARKS WILL FLY AS BIG BANGS COLLIDE

THE BIG BANG, Pierce O’Leary and big banger ’Sugar’ Kane Gardner will fight in what promises to be a thrilling collision with O’Leary’s WBC International super lightweight title at stake at the OVO Arena, Wembley on September 23.

Dublin’s undefeated O’Leary (12-0, 7 KOs) and Beswick’s Kane (16-2, 7 KOs) will trade bombs as part of a bumper undercard supporting the heavyweight rematch between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce, a show which also features the return of Anthony Yarde in light heavyweight action against Ricky Summers along with super middleweight star Zach Parker.

The 23-year-old O’Leary, in what will be his fourth battle as a Queensberry fighter, won his WBC belt with a comprehensive points victory over Emmanuel Mungandjela in November of last year, before making a spectacular first defence in Belfast, destroying Alin Florin Ciorceri in 71 seconds back in May.

Gardner, 28, will come into the fight off a run of four straight wins and two significant triumphs. In May of last year he travelled north to Glasgow as the away fighter to take on the highly-rated Marios Matamba and emerged victorious over 10 rounds before, in March, he overcame Conah Walker over eight in Bolton.

“Yeah it is a great fight, a really, really top one,” considered the iBox Gym-trained O’Leary on his forthcoming assignment. “The kid has got a great record, he is very experienced, and he knows what he’s doing.

“Listen, I am expecting a great fight. Of course I expect him to bring it, every fighter expects that regardless, whatever their record it, that is the nature of the sport. I expected it in my last fight, but I got there before he could do anything!

“I was very happy with my performance and I was expecting a tough fight. I was so focused, I did what I had to do and got him out much earlier than I thought I would.

“I will do exactly the same for this fight, stay focused and take it round by round. When I focus just on myself I bring out the best version of me.

“That I am in a tough fight like this shows the belief that Queensberry have in me. He has been in tough fights himself and he has made fights tough against journeymen. I am not a journeyman, I have got a great boxing IQ and, if I stop him, I will make a big, big statement.”

From an away corner perspective, Gardner views this fight as his own breakthrough opportunity on a major television platform.

“It is what I wanted and what I need,” said the Lancashire-based bomber. “I am more than ready for it. I haven’t been able to get anyone before and I have been turned down left, right and centre for a number of reasons.

“I am just happy that I have got a title fight now after seven years. I think I was put forward to fight Dalton Smith two or three times and they turned it away. It can be disheartening but I kept telling myself to stick at it and an opportunity would come.

“I have seen a bit of Pierce and I know he can punch a bit, but this is what I am in the game for. I don’t mind 50-50 fights, I have been in them before and it is what I want.

“I have been saying this is my breakthrough year and this fight will literally complete it. It can’t fail to be a good fight and I am never in a dull one, really.”

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