Busy night ahead for Leamington’s Cleary

Edwin Cleary with Danny Quartermaine….home date in March

EDWIN Cleary – former pro with legend Brendan Ingle now boss of a thriving Leamington gym – can brace himself for a busy night on March 27.

Two of his big guns, super-feather Danny Quartermaine and heavy Joe Guest-Bourne, are on the major show at Coventry’s Sports Connexion venue.

The Scott Murray promotion is certainly stacked with Sky Blue talent. Middleweight ticket-seller Bradley Goldsmith is advertised as appearing, champion Jess Barry faces tough veteran Gemma Ruegg and Callum Singh eases back after a brave Commonwealth silver bantamweight battle.

For 28-year-old Quartermaine it’s a return to combat following his first professional loss. It was a costly one.

Danny was widely outpointed by Royston Barney Smith on a major world heavyweight card at the 02 Arena last October, a defeat that cost him his European belts.

Bafflingly, Quartermaine saved the most listless performance of his 15 fight career for the biggest night of his fighting life.

In the immediate aftermath, even Cleary appeared baffled. He told me: “When the door closed in the gym, everything went well. I can’t say Danny didn’t prepare well. I can’t complain because everything went well.

“He stepped in the ring and something changed. He usually throws 80 to 100 punches in a round, yet he just didn’t seem to work – the occasion got to him, I feel. He is far, far better than that performance.”

Guest-Bourne, a 6ft 4ins man mountain, is at the start of his professional journey. Frankly, the former rugby player disappointed in his debut on a major televised Queensberry show. The 28-year-old could only draw with Cristian Uwaka, but looked much improved in outpointing Phil Williams last time out.

Joe Guest-Bourne….takes part in third pro contest on same show

To his credit, the heavyweight – honest and articulate in interviews – has freely admitted that first contest was not good enough. He has refused to trot out excuses.

“I was not there, it was not me,” he told me. “I don’t know how else to explain it. I don’t remember anything after the first round. I didn’t have time for those fight nerves to build-up – it was my debut, I should’ve been excited and nervous.

“It didn’t dent my ego, but it did dent my confidence. Those thoughts creep in, ‘will I, won’t I’. I’m putting pressure on myself for the next fight – I need to show people I can punch. It (the debut) has added fuel to the fire and more substance to the story.”

He added: “British title level, I know that’s achievable. I spar the good guys and that shows the level you are at. The difference is experience – they have done the rounds, they know when to take rounds off, when to apply pressure.

“I can achieve British title level, but being at British title is one thing, winning it another.”

Both Guest-Bourne and Quartermaine have points to prove when the step into the ring on March 27.