Ollie given chance to take the English title

Ollie Cooper…title fight is out for purse bids. Picture: Aidan Hewitt

OLLIE Cooper, towering super-middle with TNT in both fists, has been given his major title shot.

And that could well mean his first appearance on a major, televised arena show.

The Cannock prospect – staggering tall for the 12st limit at 6ft 4ins - has been matched by the Board of Control with James Osborne for the vacant English belt.

The 10 rounder is currently out for purse bids. Osborne’s links to Queensberry Promotions, means it may well land on a big Frank Warren production.

For Cooper, unbeaten in 12, the opportunity is just reward for two chilling performances in Midlands title fights. The 25-year-old halted previously unbeaten Liam O’Hare in six to take the belt, then sparked out Tom Ramsden in three.

He appears to be getting better – and more dangerous – with each contest. For some time, Richard Carter, who trains Cooper at his bustling Wolverhampton gym, has been telling me how gifted the young fighter is, that he is something special.

Each performance adds weight to those words. “One hundred per cent this has come at the right time,” Carter said of the English showdown. “He’s not interested about taking the journeyman route, he wants meaningful fights.

Carter’s featherweight Gully Powar boxes for the British title in April. He’s confident both belts will be coming to his gym.

He said: “Ollie’s a very good boxer, very strong, 6ft 4ins tall and a southpaw – he’s a problem for the best.”

Cooper certainly holds the physical advantages over Osborne. For starters, he’s eight inches taller, has a much longer reach and, I believe, has the edge in firepower. He’s also nine years younger.

The Essex fighter, with one points loss in 14 has booked his slot after winning GBM Sports “The Heist” – a one night, last-man-standing super-middleweight competition.

Osborne really shone in that tournament, staged in Hull last November. He showed guts and heavy hitting, taking just 29 seconds to blast out Ryszard Lewicki in the final.

You can be gung-ho in those “rock ‘em sock ‘em” bouts: over the three round format, you can take punches to land punches.

You can’t do that over 10 rounds. The punishment takes a sickening toll.

Back in February, Carter told me: “I think Ollie’s British title level, he’s a very, very talented lad – and fans haven’t seen the best of him yet. There’s much more to come.”

“I know what Ollie can do, I know what he’s capable of. He’s a different fighter now. He’s confident, he really wants to do things.”

Beat Osborne, and the chance to do very big things is within touching distance.