Craig O’Brien cruises to beautiful win on Red Corner show

Craig O’Brien was in scintillating form this evening in Dublin as he moved to 5-0 on the ‘For Honour and Pride’ card.

The local light middle had impressed on the previous Red Corner card in February when he outpointed Jorge Vallejo, but ‘The Iron’ was on another level tonight.

Taking on notably game Spanish journeyman Christian Hoskin Gomez, O’Brien boxed his way to a beautifully dominant points win.

A stunning first round from O’Brien saw him throw every shot in the book in what was an exhibition of skills – before he stunned the Spaniard in the closing seconds with a lightning-fast flurry of clean shots.

The skills from O’Brien continued in the second as he switched effortlessly between stances and seemed to land whenever, and from wherever, he wanted.

Gomez had his first real success in the third, pinning O’Brien to the ropes and landing some shots that knocked back the head of the Irishman. O’Brien would respond well though, with his rapier-like jab constantly piercing the guard of Gomez.

The lead left hook of O’Brien was proving a potent weapon in a slower fourth round, and O’Brien would look to work more in close as he tired somewhat in the fifth.

Going into the final stanza, Gomez landed an early hook before the Dubliner quickly retook control, landing lead rights

The final scorecard read 60:55 in favour of O’Brien, with the fifth or sixth perhaps being the shared round.

The hugely impressive win sees O’Brien improve to 5(0)-0, while the game, but ultimately bamboozled, Gomez falls to 5(1)-23(2)-3.

Next up for O’Brien looks to be a BUI Celtic title fight with Belfast’s Gerard Healy in the Autumn.

Photo Credit: Laszlo Geczo Photography