Shannon O’Connell on Dayana Cordero: “She will be a real challenge”

 
THE next 48 hours will be crucial for the future plans of popular Queenslander Shannon O’Connell.

 
O’Connell, 32, will face Colombian Dayana Cordero for the WBC Silver super bantamweight title at Bendigo Stadium in regional Victoria with her hopes of challenging for a second WBC world title hanging in the balance.

 
The Hosking Promotions card – spearheaded by respected former Olympian Lynden Hosking – has been put together as a springboard to bigger fights for the criminally under appreciated O’Connell (11-4, 6 KOs).

 
Speaking to Aus-Boxing from her Bendigo base, O’Connell admits that staying focused and committing to the game plan set by her trainer Luke Meldon will be crucial to her success on Saturday night.

 
“I don’t usually study my opponents too much as I very much try and concentrate on what I want to do,” said O’Connell in an interview with Aus-Boxing.

 
“Having said that, I know she is a good boxer – who judging by her record – can punch a bit too.”

 
Cordero (13-5-1, 9 KOs) has pedigree at world level, having dropped a closely fought split decision to IBF womens bantamweight titleholder Carolina Rodriguez in her last outing.

 
With that said, the Colombian has not fought since, making it just over fifteen months since she last stepped foot in a professional ring.

 
“I see it as a very evenly matched fight, she will be a real challenge,” she continued. “I plan on boxing her but if she wants a brawl, she’s got one. This is a must win for me after coming off a loss, a must win,”

 
Like Cordero, O’Connell is coming off a competitive decision loss in her last fight. The Australian dropped the crafty Sandy Tsagouris in the closing stages of their eight round fight, but was unable to steal a late win.

 
However, the experience, which saw O’Connell fight in front of 10,000 spectators on the Adonis Stevenson vs. Tommy Karpency card in Ontario, Canada, has proven to be a great learning curve.

 
“The whole experience was awesome, everything was just so professional,” she explained. “I just tried to forget that I was fighting in front of 10,000 people and focus on the task at hand. I think I did that pretty well,”

 
“Although I came up short, it is the experience you get from fighting on stages like I did in Canada that can only improve you as a fighter. I knew when leaving that ring there were things I definitely had to fix,”

 
“I have been working really hard to correct them.”

 
The fight against Cordero will be O’Connell’s second under the guidance of her new promotional and management team at Hosking Promotions. Despite the infancy of their relationship, O’Connell is delighted with their progress.

 
“Lynden has been fantastic so far. He has worked really hard to ensure I get the opportunities that I have been wanting for a long time,” she concluded. “A week after I signed he already had a training trip to the US planned,”

 
“I am just so thankful for him backing me and giving me these types of opportunties that don’t come around very often, if at all for a lot of fighters.”

 
 
Photo: Louie Abigail/Photography by Rockfingrz