Niall Farrell: fighter yearning for a war

Farrell and father Paddy…title fight cannot be far away

STRANGELY, Niall Farrell seemed pleased with the bumps, bruises and abrasions on his face.

I was in the dressing room following the Birmingham prospect’s last contest – a wide points win over tough Mexican Ramiro Garcia Lopez – and, bizarrely, the marks of battle were welcomed by the Farrell clan.

For the first time in his unbeaten seven fight career, a man who faced the world’s best as an amateur had been given a fight. A proper fight.

At Cannock’s Premier Suite, Lopez entered the ring hungry, ambitious and intent on causing damage.

Farrell, a former Team GB regular, had to find a gear he hadn’t, in an undemanding pro apprenticeship, needed to use before.

The test brought out the best. The Farrells are a well known fighting family and Niall was forced to do what he’s been trained to do since childhood – fight hard.

Just a month earlier, the 26-year-old had drubbed journeyman Jake Osgood at the same venue. It was, frankly, too one-sided to be entertaining – and that was reflected in the mood afterwards.

There’s even better to come, pledges Niall and dad Paddy who runs Kingstanding’s title laden Second City gym.

If they don’t get a title fight within 10 months, the pair will be mightily disappointed.

Niall boxes again on the major June 29 championship show at Coventry Skydome. Ambitious promoters GBM are considered the sport’s next big players and, if they like what they see, Farrell will join their growing stable.

Red hot prospects Danny Quartermaine and Nyall Berry have already signed on the dotted line.

Dad and trainer Paddy said: “Its all coming together faster than I thought it would. As yet, I can only go on the top people he’s sparred, but that tells me he is going to be hard to beat.

“The Mexican (Lopez) was a decent test. It’s time to let Niall off the leash.”

GBM seems an ideal platform for Farrell. They’ve got the cash backing and are battling to be the next big thing. Hungry fighters need hungry promoters.

Paddy said: “They have a big following. If they like what they see, we’ll stay with them. I’m glad we’ve taken the path we have over the last 12 months.”

The Farrells have never criticised Team GB over Niall’s glittering amateur career, although I question why the body persisted in pushing him forward as a feather. The size of the lad suggests making nine stone must’ve been a gruelling task.

But it’s a fact that, at international level, amateur boxing’s style is very different from the professional game.

Paddy has had to rinse his son of those ingrained amateur habits.

“Before he joined GB he was a relentless fighter,” Paddy said, “he was a come forward fighter. They adapted his style to work internationally and I understand that.”

Niall has, in these early months as a pro, looked mightily impressive. The criticism is that despite dominating his contests, a stoppage has yet to be recorded.

It will, Paddy pledged. Niall hits with authority, but it’s hard to ignite fireworks against journeymen who place lasting the distance before victory.

“Niall can’t get up for them,” Paddy candidly admitted. “Listen, he’ll always produce a performance, but it finds it hard to get up for them.

“You’ll see Niall’s power against opponent’s who open up. A fighter who opens up is a vulnerable fighter.”

And Paddy has no doubt this is a journey that will take Farrell to the top.

“With all the hard work and training, it’s going all the way,” he added.

People outside the sport are probably unaware of one fact. Professional boxing is all about timing. Talent, on its own, is not enough. Boxers have to emerge at the right place at the right time.

Niall Farrell has talent to burn. He just needs a major promoter to get the timing right.