Anthony Fowler: ‘Craig O’Brien will have to come to fight’

Anthony Fowler

Who have you been sparring with?

This camp has been my best one. Iโ€™ve had elite sparring; Liam Smith, Joshua Buatsi, Jason Quigley and an amateur called Ramtin [Musah]. Heโ€™s very good.

It was good hard sparring [with Liam Smith]. Itโ€™s very good sparring because you canโ€™t make mistakes.

What do you think of Saturdayโ€™s opponent, Craig Oโ€™Brien?

I think heโ€™s just a bit of a pot shotter. A messy style. With someone like me, whoโ€™s so long and powerful and has got a good jab, heโ€™s going to have no success, unless he comes to fight. He isnโ€™t going to pick me off. Iโ€™m going to break him down.

What do want after this?

I want to box Scott Fitzgerald, the Commonwealth Games champion, and Ted Cheeseman. [Cheeseman and Asinia Byfield] I think some time in late October I think Cheeseman will beat him and he could have his first defence [of the British title] in December and I could fight him early next year.

I think Cheeseman is the better all round fighter [than Byfield]. Heโ€™s bit more compact, a bit stronger. Byfieldโ€™s rangy and tall. Heโ€™ll give him problems early on with his awkwardness. But as the fight goes on I think Cheeseman is going to start breaking him down. I donโ€™t think heโ€™ll stop him. I think heโ€™ll beat him on points.

[Cheeseman] has looked very good but he hasnโ€™t boxed me. His best career win is Carson Jones, whoโ€™s a welterweight and heโ€™s old. Heโ€™s had his best days. Heโ€™s looked good, Cheeseman, so far but Iโ€™m bigger, stronger, longer, better variety of shots.

So would you want to fight Scott Fitzgerald this year?

People would be excited about that fight. People might pick him. With Dave [Coldwell], heโ€™s brought me on leaps and bounds and I know from sparring the lads Iโ€™m sparring in the gym Iโ€™ll knock Scott out. I know for a fact I will.

Iโ€™ve been pro a year now and Iโ€™m ready to go.

anthony fowler

You want it to lead into a British title fight with Ted Cheeseman.

Itโ€™s one of these things. You canโ€™t just keep boxing journeymen. Craig Oโ€™Brien has got ambition but heโ€™s not a big name, whereas Scott is and so is Ted.

When we fight itโ€™ll be top of the bill, hopefully in Liverpool.

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