Eddie O'Rourke set for spot on Carl Froch bill

Sport Echo.co.uk1st October, 2009

Former Bracebridge Amateur Boxing Club prospect Eddie O'Rourke has admitted he still holds Lincoln close to his heart, despite having moved to train with Sheffield-based trainer Dominic Ingle.

O'Rourke (19) fights on the undercard of Carl Froch's defence of the WBC middleweight title at the Nottingham Arena on October 17, having secured a deal with the 'Cobra's' promoter Mick Hennessey.

With two professional wins from two bouts, O'Rourke, who is now based in Newark, takes on a yet-be-confirmed opponent having enjoyed a decent career as an amateur, first at Bingham ABC before his move to Bracebridge under trainer Denny Oliver.

O'Rourke turned to the pro game aged 18 and after a year with Carl Greaves, moved to the Ingle's stable which has produced world champion Prince Naseem Hamed and European champion Herol 'Bomber' Graham.

Despite moving on to Sheffield and chancing his arm in the professional ranks, O'Rourke was quick to appreciate the lessons learned at Bracebridge and said he still keeps in touch with many of his team-mates there.

"I boxed for Bracebridge and lived there for a short time and it is always good to come back to the city and train at the gym," said O'Rourke, who trains in Sheffield during the week.

"Denny was a very good trainer, very experienced and taught me everything I know.

"I am hoping to emulate the success of boxers who have come out of Bracebridge, the likes of (former WBF champion) Kelly Oliver (Denny's son) as it is a cracking gym to be a part of.

"There are a lot of good lads who train at Bracebridge, the likes of Darryl Baptist and Nathan De Castro, and a lot of the lads from Lincoln come to my fights. They are a good bunch to mix with."

O'Rourke is promising to put on an entertaining show when he appears in Nottingham.

That should not only please his travelling army of fans that are making the short trip, but it will also boost the youngster's profile and increase his chances of fighting on such prestigious undercards in coming months.

"My hero is Floyd Mayweather, everyone likes him, he is an entertainer and the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," said O'Rourke.

"I also like 'Prince' Naseem Hamed as well as he was a crowd pleaser and I would like to be similar to him.

"I know when things are hard and when I have to grit my teeth, but if I get the chance to showboat and be a bit cocky, then I will.

"People hated Naseem because he was cocky - but they still came to watch him and millions viewed him on Box Office, to watch him flip into the ring and to watch his style.

"I'm hoping to do something like that. Some people don't like it, but my boxing trainers appreciate my style.

"The Froch show is a big show for someone of my age and I am over the moon.

"Every Mick Hennessey show is on ITV 4 and if I do well, my fight will be on mainstream television and I will get the chance to fight on the big bills in the future."

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