Gareth Couch is out to take out his frustration in his long-awaited 11th professional fight at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on Friday, April 4th. The undefeated High Wycombe light-welterweight.is happy to be part of the Hennessy Sports bill after being limited to just one fight last year..
Couch faces Colchester’s Tom Glover over six rounds as part of a strong undercard with top of the bill being the European lightweight title fight between Jon Thaxton (Norwich) and champion Yuri Romanov (Belarus). Sky Sports 1 televise the action live from 9.30pm.
Couch feels he has to make up for lost time after fights failed to happen for him in 2007. Couch boxed just once last year, an eight round points win over Rom Krauklis.
Couch, a former ABA finalist, plans to join the Brendan Ingle gym in Sheffield as he targets a minor title before the end of the year.
Couch, 25, says his top priority is to box more this year after making his professional debut in December 2004.
He said: “I need to get cracking now and I want to get a title fight before the end of the year.
“I’m going to be joining up with the Ingles and I’ve already been away to Gran Canaria with them, where I sparred with Junior Witter who is a world champion. That was great experience for me.
“I’m hoping to get more fights this year because obviously one was not enough last year. I wasn’t happy with that and it was very frustrating.
“I was in line for a Southern Area title fight but it kept falling through and it was very frustrating.
“I started to ease off in training and my weight went up so I wasn’t given any fights. But I’m hoping things will change now.”
Steve O’Mara “This is where it starts”
Steve O’Mara makes his professional debut on Friday April 4th with top trainer Jim McDonnell confident he has a bright future.
The Wembley light-middleweight sparred with the likes Olympic Games hopeful James Degale at Dale Youth ABC in Shepherds Bush before deciding to turn professional.
O’Mara faces Ben Hudson (Cambridge) over six rounds at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, where Jon Thaxton (Norwich) takes on European champion Yuri Romanov (Belarus) as top of the bill.
O’Mara, 23, has his own successful business of running gyms and employing fitness trainers but hopes to start another successful career on the Hennessy Sports show.
McDonnell, who has trained the likes of former world heavyweight title challenger Danny Williams, believes O’Mara has the style to be a hit.
He said: “Steve started boxing late but won two national novice titles at welterweight and light-middleweight as an amateur before turning professional. His style is more cut out for the pro ranks anyway.
“Because of his age, he decided he had to give it a go in the pro ranks now and he couldn’t afford to wait really.
“He was at Dale Youth so he has trained at the same level as some good boys like Degale.
“He has got the important ingredient of desire, he really wants it and that’s why I think he can go far.
“He runs his own business and is a clever lad, so he’s not going to waste his time with boxing if he didn’t have a chance.”
Sky Sports 1 televise the Hennessy Sports show from 9.30pm.
Tickets for York Hall, Bethnal Green
4th April 2008 now on sale via Ticketmaster box office
TEL:
0870 060 1795
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
24hr hotline
£40 Unreserved seating
£100 Inner ringside seating