Clarke is ready to rumble this time

THINGS will be different the next time Patrick Clarke steps into the ring.

He knows what to expect, he knows how to manage the emotions, and he has time on his side to be prepared for a rumble. The up and coming Palm Island boxing sensation will meet Townsville southpaw Lachlan O’shea on November 28 in a bout that is likely to determine who will fight for the Queensland title next year.

Clarke has been overwhelmed by the opportunities he has been offered since moving to Brisbane last month in search of higher glories.

He said he was actually offered the chance to challenge for the Australasian title this weekend, a telling endorsement for a man who has just the one professional bout to his credit.

But for now, his sights are set on O’shea and cementing himself as the unofficial leader of the North Queensland pack.

“It’s been great,” Clarke said. “I’ve been in the amateurs for a while and a lot of people in North Queensland and down south know my name, so that’s a good thing.

“It’s motivating. I just have to keep fighting hard and focus on the big things coming.

“(My family and friends) got excited when I told them, just like the first one.

“I’m happy. I get a lot of support from home and Townsville and all around North Queensland. It motivates me, and I can’t wait to get out there.”

While his fight style has not changed too much since his debut, a very different Clarke will step into the ring at Brisbane’s Eaton Hills Hotel than the one who faced off with Ben Horn.

When he appeared at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in August, he had less time to prepare for his more experienced rival, and nerves got the better of him in the early exchanges of his pointsdecision loss. That will not be the case this time around.

Clarke and O’shea have known each other for a long time, having sparred together in the lead-up to the former’s maiden professional fight.

O’shea was even initially slated to take on Horn in a rematch but the latter’s withdrawal has been met with a barrage of social-media taunts from the Townsville product.

Clarke, who is back on Palm Island before he returns to Brisbane this weekend, said Horn contacted him when the fight was announced to offer his support — eager to see his cheeky one-time rival put on his back. But there is one difference in O’shea’s style that has Clarke on edge.

“Basically, I’ve got to stand on the outside of him,” he said.

“He’s a left-hander so you just have to work on the other side and hopefully I come up with a good game plan down in Brisbane.”