‘My job is to get in the ring and win’ – focused O’Leary ready for second pro bout
It all starts now for Siobhan O’Leary [1(1)-0]].
The Limerick-based Kerry native fights for the second time as a pro on the Clash of the Titans card in Dublin tonight and seems to suggest this is the real start to her career.
It’s not that O’Leary wasn’t happy with her pro boxing bow – why would you be after a first round stoppage? – rather, she indicates there is a degree of pantomime around a debut that doesn’t exist going into her second pro outing.
With less pressure and less hype, O’Leary claims there is a different feel to her bout with Bojana Libiszewska [5(1)-33(2] on a stacked National Stadium card.
The super featherweight suggests that very lack of debut fanfare means she can now focus on progressing and there is a more down to business ambiance going into a TG4 broadcast card.
“It’s a very different feeling. It’s a very different build up and atmosphere,” O’Leary told Irish-boxing.com.
“Obviously there is less hype. It’s a lot more calmer and things seem a lot more deliberate. In the debut there was a lot of build up and it seem to go on forever. Where as this doesn’t seem as long, it just seems a lot more structured.
“I have less things to think about. Obviously with the debut you are never really going to want to lose. Once you get that over with your done. This one is about gaining more experience, getting in there against a good opponent and imposing my will on her.”
After such a positive start there may be some fans of the Team TNT-trained Boxing Ireland fighter hoping for a repeat of her power-punching debut display.
However, O’Leary is quite sensible and knows victory – and the not the manner in which it is achieved – is what counts.
“I haven’t thought too much about the stoppage or the manner of the first win. Once that fight was done that was it I was done with it. I don’t think about maybe it was a ‘statement’ or anything like that. I honestly really haven’t thought about it since.
“It doesn’t matter how I win. I respond to what is in front of me on March 30. If the opportunity is there for me to stop her of course I’ll take it, but the job is to go in and beat the girl that is the job. The Job is to win and that’s what I have to do.”
Another fighter to emerge from the white collar scene travels two evenings a week to Dublin to work with Irish-boxing.com Coach of the Year Eddie Hyland in a 15 year old golf that is not always to fond of the trip- and she suggests a second camp under the former Irish champion has seen more improvements.
She certainly disagrees with suggestions there wasn’t time to display faults in a quick fire debut win for Hyland to pick out and work on.
“Eddie can pick at loads, believe me! It might in general and not too much from that fight, but he has no issue in that department.
“We were only together three months before that fight so we have another three months work together now. Eddie is looking at breaking down my bad habits and making my style more pro friendly. It’s more around making sure I can use the ring properly and defend myself properly. I have a tendancy to defend with my face and that doesn’t work some times, Eddie doesn’t seem to think so anyway.”
The Kerry pro does take an early step up on Saturday and whilst she would be expected to defeat Bojana Libiszewska the experienced Pole is expected to give her rounds whilst affording her the oppurtuinity to make favourable comparisons.
The away fighter has brought a host of prospects the distance, her only stoppage defeats coming against fighters muted as potential Katie Taylor foes Nathasa Jonas and Chantelle Cameron.
Although the fighter herself isn’t quite aware of that.
“I haven’t a clue,” she responds when asked about her opponent.
“The team have her picked. I have no control over that, that is Stephen (Sharp), Leonard (Gunning) and Eddie’s job. Eddie studies her and I go in and execute the plan. My roll in the step up is to go in there and box and I will focus soley on that. I don’t get caught up in I want this girl or that girl I leave that to the team.
“I am a very much a respond as things are happening person. I won’t make all these big plans and say I am going to do this and that I will go forward with is what is in front of me. Again my job March 30 is to the get in the ring and win and that is what I am going to do.”
