From puppy dog to prizefighter
However he can’t say the same for the highly ranked opponent Guillermo Rigondeaux.
“Rigondeaux will be elusive. There are four corners in the ring and we know he will have his name on every one of them. But you can’t run for 12 rounds. You have to mix it for one and that’s all we need” said former two-time European bronze medallist Sutcliffe.
“I don’t think Rigondeaux will run out of steam but if Willie catches up with him in any of the early rounds it will be a different fight. (Opponents) Paulie Hyland and Tyson Cave saw it.
“Once he hits Rigondeaux they will need to have those extra plans — ‘how am I going to avoid this man?’ ‘this man is on my chest’, ‘this man keeps punching’, I’m hitting this man with everything and he’s still there’.
“Rigondeaux will hit Willie with a lot of shots because Willie’s easily caught — Paulie Hyland proved that — but is he going to be able to stand with Willie?
“This is Willie’s game. Willie is a pro. He wasn’t a great amateur but he’s a great pro. Willie is very strong, very sharp and he’s learning how to box.”
Sutcliffe sees ‘a champion’ every time he looks at Casey. But that wasn’t always the case.
“I remember he was a puppy dog when he came to me first. He stood with people — he stood square and he did a lot of things wrong. Some of the kids in the club were actually better boxers than Willie when it came to style or skill. But Willie can walk in anyway on those pads now and he can throw any punch in the book. His legs are right and he is getting power with the punch. Now I look him in the eye and I see a champion. It’s going to be hard but I see a champion. He might have to take a few whacks and that will show his true character.
“We’ve seen him take whacks — Paulie Hyland caught him with some good shots, Tyson Cave caught him with some clatters. Tyson was a bit like Rigondeaux, not as elusive as him but he was swift and liked to run.”
Although they have trained for 12 rounds Sutcliffe said he did not think the fight will go all the way.
“With two big punchers in the ring I don’t see it go(ing) 12 rounds. Willie’s not the one-off puncher. He’s swift and wears you down until you can’t take any more and then the punch will come.
“He has that one shot and he has shown it in sparring. He’s decked light welters, he’s decked welterweights — not only with body shots but with head shots — without even looking for power because he’s learning the technique. He had the strength and now he has technique and strength together.”
He continued: “Willie has the edge. He is as sharp as a razor and gets better as the rounds go on. Rigondeaux is fantastic, we all know what he has done. He has done it in the amateur game with two Olympic titles and two world titles. Now he is a world champion after seven fights as a pro.
“But he was well guided by Bob Arum and his management team. Some of the fights he had his opponents wouldn’t stand in the ring with Willie Casey. They wouldn’t stand in the ring with some of the amateurs I have.
“That’s not taking away from him. He is elusive, he can punch hard and he has all them qualities but Willie Casey has other qualities. Not only can Willie punch, he’s tough.
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