Hangry Birthday Boy Ryan O’Rourke Ready to Party
Hangry Ryan O’Rourke [9(2)-0] will take out his frustration on Dashaun Johns [4(3)-2(0)] tonight.
The Dublin prospect turned 24 on Wednesday but couldn’t celebrate in the manner he wished, knowing he had to make weight for his latest test.
As a food lover it proved particularly hard for ‘The Silent Assassin’ but he claims his birthday celebrations have been postponed not cancelled.
O’Rourke is ready to get the birthday party started in Long Island on Saturday and plans on celebrating in style.
“I definitely missed the birthday cake this week,” he tells Irish-boxing.com with a smile.
“There’s nothing I love more than food, but it’s all a part of the game, and you have to make these sacrifices to get where you wanna be,” he adds with a more serious tone.
“Saturday night will be full of food and I’ve plenty of things lined up when I get back to Ireland to make up for the missed birthday.”
O’Rourke claims he will have to earn the right to party. It’s said ‘Too Sweet’ is much better than his pro record suggests and the 24-year-old, who stepped up against the likes of Wilson Mendes and Andreas Maier previously, is expecting his toughest fight to date.
“He is expected to be my toughest fight to date,” he adds. “From what I hear Johns was a good amateur and has been in with some good opponents already as a pro, so he’ll be experienced,” he adds before suggesting he is primed to win in entertaining fashion.
“I’m looking to perform to my best and implement what we’ve been working on in camp. I feel every fight I’m getting better and people are starting to see it now as well. I’m confident as long as I implement what we’ve been working on I will win and be entertaining while doing it.”
Weights from 1MR ⚖️:
— Star Boxing (@StarBoxing) May 12, 2023
8 Round Welterweight Bout:@RyanOR12345: 141 lbs @TeamTooSweet: 140.2 lbs#RockinFights 44 | TOMORROW | @TheParamountNY
📺 https://t.co/Qn9CQK0xl0 7:30PM ET pic.twitter.com/bpI3k89Zgc
Victory will bring O’Rourke, who has been going quietly about his business, to 10-0 and the former Irish Boxing Awards Prospect of the Year winner argues if he has h hand raised on Saturday he’ll be a prospect no more.
“A win here would keep the plan on track. I feel I’m coming out of my prospect stage now and this is the first step in that next level move. The fights after these are only gonna get better and push me towards titles, which is the main goal.”
Star Boxing seem to have taken a shine to the O’Rourke’s Gym fighter and have handed him a slot high up the card, not that matters too much to the no-frills Dub.
“It’s the co-main event, but it’s all the same to me. It doesn’t matter if I was first on the card or the main event, nothing changes, a fights a fight, so it’s business as usual,” he adds before reflecting on his training camp.
“Camp’s gone great. Manchester has been brilliant, the sparring you get over there is top class and every time you step into the ring you have to raise your game. I think that’s the next step for my career to be sparring constantly at that level, so I look forward to getting back.”
