Interview with Middleweight Prospect Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan

500

By Chris Clark

“Spike” O’Sullivan is a man on a mission, the fighting pride of Cork, Ireland, is a middleweight prospect whose moving up the ranks at a rapid rate.

I spoke with “Spike” to find out more about the latest Celtic warrior.

spike1

Boxing Insider: Let’s get the formalities out of the way…is it Gary or Spike?

Gary O’Sullivan: Please call me Spike, it’s what people have been calling me since a kid, and it’s just stuck. Only my parents occasionally call me Gary.

Boxing Insider: So did the young Spike always want to be a boxer?

Gary O’Sullivan: Well my Dad took me to see Steve Collins v Chris Eubank at Millstreet (County Cork) in 1995, I was 11 years old at the time, and I was intoxicated by the atmosphere. I wanted, I dreamed to be Steve Collins. Man the atmosphere, the fans all cheering his name, it was amazing. Growing up I wished that was me, and now slowly but surely these things are happening to me.

Boxing Insider: Was it just Steve Collins who inspired you growing up?

Gary O’Sullivan: Oh no, I loved Evander Holyfield as well. The Real Deal, he was superb. Especially at heavyweight, he was obviously lighter than his opponents, but man he was tough, a real warrior.

My Dad used to wake me up at 4am to watch all the big fights from America in the 1990s. I bloody loved it watching these fights from Vegas and Madison Square Garden. You cannot believe what an amazing honour and privilege it was for me to fight Milton Nunez at the MSG. I had to pinch myself at times, I had goosebumps.

Boxing Insider: Going back a few years to your early career, you didn’t fight as much as you should?

Gary O’Sullivan: No I was very inactive, I was really frustrated.

Boxing Insider: You only had 7 fights in between 2010-2013

Gary O’Sullivan: Yes, it wasn’t a great time for me, however I still won the WBO International belt against Matthew Hall at Upton Park (July 2012). A lot of pundits expected me to lose that fight, but I’ve got great inner strength and I battled through. Certain people wanted me to lose that fight, but I showed them.

Boxing Insider: Your only defeat thus far came against Billy Joe Saunders in 2013 (losing on points)

Gary O’Sullivan: Yeah that was a tough fight, but I’d only fought once in a year, I was under-cooked. If I fought Billy Joe now, I’d give him a proper fight.

Boxing Insider: Hasn’t Billy Joe promised you a World Title shot, if he manages to win one?

Gary O’Sullivan: Yeah he has, and I’d beat him! I know I can, I’ve got the power to do it. Not being big-headed like, I can beat anyone. All I need is the opportunity, a lot of people are scared of me.

Boxing Insider: One person who wasn’t scared of you was Tommy Fitzgerald last year, what are your recollections of that fight?

Gary O’Sullivan: That fight all stemmed from a sparring session about 5 years ago, when I put him on his arse in front of all his mates in the gym. He’d been itching to get his own back for years.

Boxing Insider: Explain that kiss in the press conference?

Gary O’Sullivan: I could sense he was getting nervous, that’s why he pushed and slapped me. I didn’t want to push him back, so I kissed him on the cheek, to get inside his head a little bit.

Boxing Insider: The fight itself, you knocked him out in the 1st round. You made some money from that didn’t you?

Gary O’Sullivan: Yeah I had £100 on me to win in the 1st round, I knew I could do it if I could land some clean shots, no-one has power like me at Middleweight. Fitzgerald is no fool, he had taken Andy Lee the distance, but I knew I had the power to stop him.

Boxing Insider There was a lot of animosity around the ring, and a stool ended up being thrown at you.

Gary O’Sullivan: What people don’t realise about that, is that the stool actually grazed my arm…but these things happen. I was fighting in Dublin, in Fitzgerald’s back yard, and I’d put him on his arse, people are going to get upset. There’s a massive rivalry between Dublin and Cork in Ireland, it’s similar to the North and South in England, it’s huge.

Boxing Insider: Prior to this fight you’d had a change of manager, how did this come about?

Gary O’Sullivan: I was fighting Jose Medina in Boston, and man it was hot (July 2014) it was like 35c. I’m a Cork lad, I’m not used to that heat! I was blowing hard, but I was still fighting my aggressive style, and that’s what impressed Ken Casey (punk band Dropkick Murphy’s bassist) he said with this fighting style I would be huge in America. So we chatted and we hit it off.

Boxing Insider: Are you obliged to like Dropkick Murphy’s music now?

Gary O’Sullivan: I honestly had never listened to their stuff before, but I went to a few of their concerts, it was mental…mosh pits the lot, I fucking loved it.

Boxing Insider: So what kind of music do you normally like?

Gary O’Sullivan: I like a bit of everything from Rod Stewart, Lionel Ritchie to Rhianna. I go to a lot of concerts, I’ve got John Legend and Ed Sheeran coming up.

You can’t really come to the ring with Lionel Ritchie blaring out though.

Gary O’Sullivan: Haha no… last time out, I had the drums and everything. I loved it, it was brilliant. I was buzzing on the way out to the ring.

Boxing Insider: The American audience love the “Fighting Irish” and you’re fighting on the DeGale v Dirrell undercard at Fenway Park, Boston, that’s huge for you

Gary O’Sullivan: Oh yeah, fighting at that stadium and it’s on NBC, 23rd May. I don’t know my opponent as yet. I’ve got a great following in America now, I’ve made myself known at Dropkick Murphy gigs and my last fight was a sell out. The fans just love my aggressive style.

Boxing Insider: So what about future opponents, dare I bring up Chris Eubank Jnr?

Gary O’Sullivan: I’d fight that boy anywhere, we should have fought already but it wasn’t to be.

You’d literally fight him anywhere?

Gary O’Sullivan: I’d fight him in his dad’s back garden. I know I can beat him, I’d just love to smash him. When I’m World Champion I’d give him that world title shot he wants.

How about the two Matthew’s, Macklin and Murray?

Gary O’Sullivan: I’ve been close to fighting Matt Macklin three times, but it just hasn’t happened. Macklin’s from Tipperary, with me being from Cork that would be a huge fight for Irish boxing.

What about Murray, he didn’t disgrace himself against Golovkin?

Gary O’Sullivan: I helped Murray spar for that fight, and I have to say I felt comfortable in there with him.

I tell you what though, I’d beat Golovkin. I’ve watched his style, I know he couldn’t contend with my strength. That would be my dream fight. Two warriors going at it.
Then you’ve got the likes of Billy Joe and Andy Lee, there’s loads of great fights out there for me.

Boxing Insider: What do you do to unwind away from the ring?

Gary O’Sullivan: I have 3 lovely daughters, 11, 7 and 3 and they are my world.

Boxing Insider: 3 daughters, are you sure that’s unwinding?

Gary O’Sullivan: Haha! I can’t remember who said it, but a boxer who also has 3 daughters said he goes into the ring for a break!!

BoxingInsider: There’s another Irishman making it big in America, Conor McGregor. Is MMA something you’ve considered?

Gary O’Sullivan: It was something I thought about when I was inactive a few years back, but boxing is in my blood man, from all the way back to getting up at 4am with my Dad. That childhood dream is slowly becoming reality and I’m loving every minute of it.

Chris Clark is on Twitter – @chrisclark1975

500 Comments

  7. BryanKen
    03/20/2025,

    Global expertise that’s palpable with every service.
    gabapentin sr tablets
    They consistently exceed global healthcare expectations.

  69. DerekDrurl
    03/31/2025,

    Online apotheek Nederland met recept: ApotheekMax – Beste online drogist

  80. Michaelheago
    04/02/2025,

    Kamagra Oral Jelly: kamagra – Kamagra kaufen

  116. MichaelRit
    04/06/2025,

    prednisone 20mg by mail order: Pred Pharm Net – over the counter prednisone medicine

  118. MichaelRit
    04/06/2025,

    buy amoxicillin online no prescription: AmOnlinePharm – amoxicillin price canada

  119. Briancof
    04/06/2025,

    buying generic clomid without a prescription clomid pill Clom Fast Pharm

  148. WeldonCob
    04/10/2025,

    hangi bahis siteleri bonus veriyor?: casibom resmi – casino slot online casibom1st.com

  150. Robertglarp
    04/10/2025,

    deneme bonusu beren siteler: casibom – slot oyunlarД± casibom1st.com

  224. WilliamAlUct
    04/20/2025,

    olympe casino cresus: olympe – olympe casino avis

  270. Bradleyeages
    04/25/2025,

    pharmacie en ligne pas cher: Livraison rapide – pharmacie en ligne france livraison belgique pharmafst.com

  292. Bernardactit
    04/27/2025,

    Tadalafil sans ordonnance en ligne: cialis prix – Tadalafil achat en ligne tadalmed.shop

  318. MichaelExhab
    04/30/2025,

    mexico pharmacies prescription drugs: RxExpressMexico – buying from online mexican pharmacy

  321. ElmerDaw
    04/30/2025,

    вавада казино: vavada – вавада

  338. Brianthigo
    05/02/2025,

    пинап казино: pin up вход – пин ап казино официальный сайт

  343. Brianthigo
    05/02/2025,

    вавада официальный сайт: вавада – vavada casino

  374. ElmerDaw
    05/06/2025,

    пин ап казино официальный сайт: пин ап казино – пин ап казино официальный сайт

  381. ElmerDaw
    05/07/2025,

    пин ап казино официальный сайт: пин ап вход – пин ап казино официальный сайт

  395. RichardSmatt
    05/08/2025,

    вавада казино vavada vavada вход

  406. Lorenzoexisk
    05/10/2025,

    purchase Modafinil without prescription [url=https://modafinilmd.store/#]safe modafinil purchase[/url] verified Modafinil vendors

  434. RussellEdups
    05/12/2025,

    buy prednisone without prescription paypal: PredniHealth – PredniHealth

  436. Oscardaf
    05/12/2025,

    get generic clomid without prescription: Clom Health – where buy clomid price

  447. MatthewHacle
    05/13/2025,

    Amo Health Care [url=https://amohealthcare.store/#]amoxicillin price canada[/url] order amoxicillin online uk

  456. LorenBonee
    05/15/2025,

    how long does cialis last in your system: Tadal Access – overnight cialis delivery

  459. ScottCug
    05/15/2025,

    buy cialis generic online 10 mg: TadalAccess – cialis price walgreens

  477. LorenBonee
    05/17/2025,

    cialis buy online canada: Tadal Access – best time to take cialis 20mg

  485. LorenBonee
    05/18/2025,

    tadalafil dapoxetine tablets india: Tadal Access – cialis no perscription overnight delivery

  488. Jerrysoype
    05/18/2025,

    At from the start, I was skeptical less https://joyorganics.com/pages/wholesale-cbd , but sometimes I guard them in my nightstand. They’ve become part of my evening routine—one gummy, a cup of tea, and I’m chaste to go. I don’t fondle exorbitant or freakish, hardly serene and on the brink of to afraid down. The flavor’s in truth in actuality good too, which surprised me. No eerie aftertaste like some others I’ve tried. If your perception runs a mile a minute at cimmerian dark or you’re upright tough to slacken after at liberty, these are for all worth checking out.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *