Sparring Stories – Myles Casey lifts lid on Camp Katie Taylor
Myles Casey says he couldn’t mimic Amanda Serrano if he tried.
Not because the Puerto Rican half of the biggest female fight of all time is unique – moreso because Katie Taylor won’t allow him to.
Casey has been brought into the undisputed lightweight Queen’s camp and is currently in Boston helping the undisputed world champion ready herself for an April 30, Madison Square Garden-hosted defence against the seven weight titlist.
Like the Jake Paul-advised Serrano, the Limerick fighter is a southpaw who likes to apply educated pressure and as such the former National Elite Champion and Irish International seems an idea spar.
However, he reveals he hasn’t been asked nor afforded the chance to simulate Serrano.
“I’ve been told to just be me but even if I wanted to copy Serrano I couldn’t Katie isn’t allowing me to. I’m in survival mode most of the time,” the former St Francis man tells Irish-boxing.com.
To say the younger brother of former European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey has been impressed by the Irish icon is an understatement.
The Treaty County man believes the Olympic gold medal winner is ready to produce a special performance in a special fight at the special venue that is Madison Square Garden.
“I’m not tyring to sound dramatic but believe me the best is yet to come, that’s no joke,” he adds.
“Every time we spar Katie is either better or different. The first spar we had I was reminded just how unreal a talent Katie is then the next spar she was better again. In the third spar she just showed me something completely different. She just takes it to a new level each time.
“I truly believe the best is yet to come from Katie. If people want to judge her off her last few fights then they are in for a real shock.”
The Limerick southpaw also isn’t buying into the puncher versus boxer narrative, pointing out not only can Taylor take a punch but she can dish out a power shot of her own too.
“I’ve sparred men from all over over the years and done a lot of sparring around Ireland and the UK recently and Katie hits harder than most of those men. Plus I’m a big enough puncher and I can’t knock a stone off her. To be honest it’s her ploughing me back to the ropes.”
The Ross Enamait-trained pound-for-pound talent sought out her old amateur sparring partner and recommended her team get him to help her fine-tune for the historic fight, something that makes it all the more special for Casey.
“Katie looked for me. I was told she was asking about me and thought I’d be a good spar for this fight. I used to spar her in the High Performance years ago and she always kept me in mind.
“It’s really nice, especially coming from someone like Katie Taylor. I’m a nobody really, there are loads of world champions and upcoming lads they could have called that would have loved this opportunity but they called me. To choose me over all others it’s a real honour.”
