Limerick boxing stalwart Graham McCormack eyes Celtic Middleweight title glory next month

LIMERICK'S Graham McCormack is gearing up for what he is describing as 'the biggest fight of his career' against Richie O'Leary at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, April 4. 

McCormack will be going up against Dubliner O'Leary for a chance to win the BUI Celtic Middlewight title. 

McCormack is fresh off a very win over Daniel Przewieslik last month. McCormack insists there 'was a lot of pressure' on him perform against the Pole. 

"There was a lot of pressure on me for that fight. If I was coming back, I was going to come back properly against a good opponent in Daniel. I wasn't going to go in against someone who was just going to fall over.

"I needed somebody who was going to test me. For me, I put a lot of pressure on myself because if I couldn't go out there and perform and look good, I was going to hang the gloves up.

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"Especially coming off of my last fight where I broke my jaw. It was all or nothing heading into that fight so I was very happy with the performance and I was very happy with how I boxed. I stuck to the game plan that we set out. I felt great, got the win, got the performance and it was a great confidence boost as well," he said. 

McCormack, who has won the BUI Celtic title three years ago, says it was vital that he put in a 'very, very good camp' before his bout with Przewieslik.

"I put in a very, very good camp. After losing my mother and deciding that I was going to come back to boxing. I said I wasn't going to come back lazy and cutting corners.

"I gave it 100 percent in every aspect of my camp and it paid off on the night because I boxed very, very well. Previously I might have cut a few corner here and there especially when I went up to Super Middleweight.

"I made the weight so easily, I didn't have to go strict in the kitchen whereas now I'm back down to my natural weight at Middleweight so I have to be at 100 percent.

"All of those things really added up on the night, putting in my all during camp and not cutting any corners," he said. 

38-year-old McCormack says he 'feels great' heading into April 4, stating that this clash with O'Leary is the Limerick native's 'last chance saloon.'

"I feel great, this is it for me, this is my last chance saloon. I'm no spring chicken, I'm 38 now, Richie is a great fighter, he's a young, undefeated, hungry fighter.

"It's the undefeated young man against the old, hungry lion so we'll see how it goes, I'm really excited. I'm buzzing in the gym, I'm buzzing in camp. It's a huge fight and it's for the BUI Celtic title which I won three years ago. 

"When I did win it three years ago, I got a bit complacent because people said I'd never win a title and then as a result of that maybe I got a bit complacent but now I want to win it again, I want the Irish title and to get to that I knew I would have to win the BUI Celtic title again. 

"So this fight is everything to me now. This is the biggest fight of my career, that's all I see. I'm 100 percent focused on the job. Richie is a good boxer but we know we have what it takes to beat him and I'm looking forward to a really entertaining fight," he said. 

McCormack states that he has 'nothing but respect' for O'Leary but insists that respect will be gone the moment the bell rings on the night. 

"He's a nice guy, I have nothing but respect for him. We've been in contact a couple of times. I don't have any disrespect towards any boxer.

"As I said, Richie is a nice guy, he's a family man like myself but as soon as that bell goes on April 4 the respect goes out the window and I'm sure he feels the same. Afterwards we can go for a burger or whatever but as soon as the bell goes, that respect is gone."

McCormack says that now he is in the twilight of his career, 'G Train' states that his training routine has altered, with McCormack admitting that he 'trains a lot smarter' at this stage of his boxing career. 

"Now that I'm older, I train a lot smarter. I don't spar anywhere near as much as I did when I was younger. I don't run the roads as much as I did, just because it takes me longer to recover now so we just train a lot smarter now. 

"I train a lot better now with the maturity I've gained over the last few years. I give my body that rest that maybe I didn't give it a few years ago.

"I'm resting now and my body has reacted very well, I'm 38 but I feel very good. I'm putting myself up against these younger guys in the gym and I'm outdoing them so if I couldn't do that, I would have hung up the gloves."

Above all, McCormack stresses that he is looking forward to his bout with O'Leary next month with there being no doubt in the Limerick native's mind that he will be victorious on the night. 

"I'm not doing this to chase fame or money or anything like that, I'm doing this because I want to get that Irish title in memory of my mother. I'm just doing things the right way now and not burning the candle at both ends. 

"I can't wait for it, it's all so exciting, back on TV, it's a big show. There will be a big Limerick crowd there on the night as always and I'd like to thank the Limerick support for always being there over the years and I have no doubt whatsoever that I will be victorious on April 4," McCormack concluded.