Liam O’Hare will be pacing himself when the fleet-footed middleweight returns to the city where he made his pro debut.
His second outing is set for when BCB Promotions stage their first show at the Eastside Rooms, on Woodcock Street in Birmingham, with fight night set for Friday February 25
It’s two months on from when the 25-year-old, from Hereford, made his pro bow, in Edgbaston at the H Suite, as part of another BCB card.
He stepped in with the ultra-experienced Kevin McCauley, who was closing in on the 250th pro fight of his storied 13-year career.
O’Hare moved at a frantic speed, at the start of their clash, but settled into the contest to claim all four sessions and outpoint McCauley, by a 40-36 scoreline.
It’s now the numbers game for trainee accountant O’Hare, who is looking to rack up the rounds and enhance his pro experience quickly.
His first foray into Birmingham came as a teenager, in much different circumstances, learning the art of dance as a student at Elmhurst Ballet School.
After switching to a combat sport, O’Hare embarked on an amateur career with Lydney Boxing Club, which took him to the semi-finals of the England Junior Championships.
He’s now trained at the City of Hereford Boxing Academy by Tony Chadwick, who has had to put him through the mill quicker than usual.
O’Hare said: “It’s all about getting myself out there and, hopefully, that will pay dividends. I’ve taken this fight at short notice, so I’ve only really had about a three-week camp.
“When I first heard about this date, I was only just back in the gym. I had Covid, after Christmas, so that took me out for a while.
“I’m quite religious with my weight loss, so I can cut myself down and eat properly, at the right times. I didn’t lose that much energy.
“The first week was still hard, but I felt sharp. My debut wasn’t too long ago, so I think I was still carrying a bit of sharpness over from that.
“I learned a lot, from my debut, and I’m glad I had Kevin (McCauley) as an opponent. He’s a tough man, but a nice guy as well. I had a good chat with him afterwards.
“I could have done things differently, in terms of coming out of the gate a bit too fast, but I knew I had the fitness to not gas out.
“It was hard to tell how tired I was, because of the adrenalin going through me, and that had a lot to do with the crowd. It was a great atmosphere, the Hereford lot can get quite rowdy!
“I showed my stamina and the toughness that I’ve got so, this time, it’s about slowing down a bit and working on my skills. No one turns over knowing everything, about being a pro.”
Tickets for the Eastside Rooms bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £75 VIP ringside with buffet, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.
