O’shea shows fighting spirit
“You might have to get knocked down, but you can always build yourself up.”
It is a lesson North Queensland boxing product Lachlan O’shea has had to learn the hard way, having been forced to overcome injury setbacks and a terminal health diagnosis to announce his return to the ring.
Nearly two years on from when he defended his Queensland welterweight title against Ben Horn, the southpaw will launch his comeback on July 8 to reclaim his belt on the Gold Coast.
O’shea’s triumph over the brother of former world champion Jeff Horn was one of pure elation. Shortly after that milestone victory, O’shea’s reality was thrown into upheaval; discovering he carried the gene for Huntington’s disease – a rare, inherited condition which causes the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain.
It was his mother’s battle with the illness – which comes with a life expectancy of 10 to 30 years from diagnosis – that triggered a move to the Gold Coast in 2020 for the chance to further his fighting career.
Having come to terms with his future, O’shea said now was the time to leave everything on the table, beginning with his comeback contest.
“I took a break mentally and injured my shoulder, and then I stepped back for the clubs so I had a lot of time to reflect,” he said.
“It got to a point where if I have limited time I may as well have a good crack at this and let the rest flow out a bit more.
“It’s been just a major rebuild of myself and my mind. I’m mentally a lot stronger now coming back, I feel good and strong physically as well.”
The Matrix Boxing Gym contenders said he was determined to claim the Australian welterweight belt.
“I do want to win the Australian title and have a look from there. That’s one of the things that got me back in; I got to No.2 on the rankings so I owe it to myself to get the title.”