Omagh’s Bradley brothers looking forward to the next step

OMAGH brothers Tiernan and Callum Bradley are looking forward to taking the next step in their professional careers over the coming months.

On April 4, older sibling Tiernan is confident he will be crowned IBF European Superlightweight champion, while younger brother Callum is keen to build on a successful return to the ring after three and a half years out of action..

27-year-old Tiernan will take on reigning belt holder, Ben Crocker in Bethnall Green’s York Hall over 10 rounds and the Brighton-based Tyrone man believes he can ‘snatch’ the title from his Welsh opponent.

Bradley, who hasn’t fought since last June, isn’t going into the bout over-confident, however, as he knows Crocker is a classy operator, but after seeing off Kurt Jackson in Coventry’s Skydome eight months ago, he believes winning the European crown is the next step for his career.

“The guy’s decent enough, he’s not 14-0 for no reason,” Tiernan acknowledged. “He’s 14-0 with two knockouts and his last two fights were against a Greek undefeated guy Stelios Papadopoulos and he beat him. [The first bout] was a close enough fight that they put the rematch on for the vacant IBF European title and he beat him again, so I’ll be looking to snatching it off him.

“The fella I fought in my last fight, Kurt Jackson, I wouldn’t say he was my toughest but on paper he was because since then he’s went and won a Commonwealth Silver title and defended it, which is absolutely mental.

“But that’s the calibre of fighter I was in with last and look what I did to him, but this is the step that I need, the step forward that I need and I’m looking forward to it.

“The fights have been few and far between but to put me on the right path I need some sort of pulling power within boxing otherwise you’ll get left behind and I think this is the natural path with a belt around my waist.”

The April 4th encounter will be Bradley’s first over 10 rounds since joining the pro ranks, but having managed the full eight in both of his last two fights that shouldn’t cause him too many issues after completing a tough training camp.

And while he admits the death of John Cooney, who passed away a week after suffering an intracranial haemorrhage during his bout in the Ulster Hall against Nathan Howells, earlier this month has affected him, Tiernan is keen to put the risks exposed by that to the back of his mind.

“I’ve no doubts. Obviously it scares you, it scares anyone who is in the sport but what can you do?,” he said.

“I spent three and a half to four years training with John down in Dublin. We travelled together, fought together and bled together. We sparred many rounds and he was one of those guys who never ‘played’ boxing.

“He trained his heart out, he was in phenomenal shape going into that fight, but it was just an unfortunate tragedy that could happen to anyone.

“But it’s definitely hit me hard over the last few weeks in terms of training and what I’m actually doing in the sport and my long-term future.

“I’m as motivated as possible going into this fight. We always knew the dangers, we’re never oblivious to them in this sport. It’s like any sport, you try to keep the dangers to the back of your mind, but it’s always at the forefront.”

Callum, meanwhile, made a winning return to action after 1290 days out of the ring.

The Omagh man earned a unanimous points decision against experienced campaigner Jake Pollard in Bolton’s White Hotel three and a half years after his last fight when he overcame Stefan Nicolae in a similar manner at Belfast’s Falls Park.

And while delighted to get back into the ring for a meaningful bout rather than for a sparring session, Bradley admits it felt fairly normal to do so.

“I felt no real difference, it felt like I hadn’t been away and I think it looked that way too,” beamed the 25-year-old, who became the second Tyrone fighter after Strabane’s Danny Duffy, to beat Pollard in the last few months.

“[Pollard] is a tough man, a good tight guard. He doesn’t step away, he comes forward and it was good to get the four rounds under my belt but it wasn’t really about the opponent on Friday night, it was about me getting back in there and getting the ball rolling towards bigger and better things.”

Callum is now determined to strike while the iron is hot and he is keen for his management team to get him another fight by April with three more hopefully to follow before year’s end as he aims to make up for lost time.

“Hopefully it won’t be another three years!,” he laughed. “The plan is to have five fights this year and I’d like to be out in April. That would be great.

“I need to get back out again soon, but a year can make a big difference to your boxing career – I could be chatting to you this time next year and be 10 or 11-0, that’s the hope.

“It can change very quickly so it’s about keeping your head screwed on and staying focused. I don’t get too high or too low, I just want to keep improving because in my eyes I’m never happy with my performance.

“You can never stop learning and I’d like to be out again in April but it’s about taking opportunities with both hands because one fight can chance everything.”