Beau O’Brien Announces His Return To Boxing

Former two-division New Zealand boxing champion Beau O’Brien has announced he plans to come out of retirement before the end of the year.

He might be more well known over the last couple of years for his Entrepreneurial Napier lawnmowing business known as “Bo's Mows”. However, the business owner is also a well-skilled boxer and he is making his boxing return after being away from the ring for over four years.

Boxing History

Born and raised in Napier, Beau O’Brien began his boxing career in the amateur division. During his time as an amateur, he won a New Zealand title once in 2007, before making his professional debut in 2012.

In his first two years of boxing, he kept busy trying to build his professional boxing career. He won his first boxing title in 2013 for the New Zealand National (NZPBA version) Super Welterweight title. A few months later he won a minor regional title when he fought British-born New Zealander Rick Bushell for the GBF Oceania Super Welterweight title.

In July 2014, Beau O’Brien got his first big opportunity when he went over to China to fight another up-and-coming undefeated boxer Kuok Kun Ng. O’Brien suffered his first defeat of his professional boxing career losing by unanimous decision. Kuok Kun Ng today is still currently undefeated today with a record of 12 - 0 - 1. O’Brien took his first break from boxing the fight.

Four years later in 2018, O’Brien made his in-ring return against amateur boxing veteran Shiva Misha in Pahiatua on the Lance Bryant homecoming fight night. O’Brien’s fight was very close, however, he manage to walk away with the victory by unanimous decision.

Beau O’Brien was back in Professional boxing with a decent record under him and with his warm-up fight out of the way, he was ready to take bigger fights. He was given an offer to fight in Fiji above his normal weight division to take on an undefeated boxer Siliveni Nawai for the WBF Australasian Middleweight title. It was risky but he accepted the challenge. O’Brien went on to win the fight by TKO, his second stoppage win of his career.

In October 2018, O’Brien fought in his hometown for the first time in almost five years. He made another big gamble when he took on former top 10 WBO-ranked boxer, Gunnar Jackson. This was a big dream fight with a big reward. As an added bonus it was also for the vacant New Zealand national (NZPBA version) Middleweight title and another minor regional title, the UBF Asia Pacific Middleweight title.

Beau O’Brien took a major risk, not only due to the massive experience of Gunnar Jackson, but also O’Brien against fighting as a Middleweight boxer, which is one division above his weight class. O’Brien won the fight by Majority decision.

Returning to boxing

After the fight, O’Brien focused more on his priorities including starting a family and his Lawnmoxing business. Now he aims to return with one more run for the big times in boxing. Currently, his record is 7 wins 1 loss 1 draw with 2 wins by KO. He aims to get to 10 wins on his record before jumping into the deep in with major risks.

He will be returning to his usual weight division of 69.9 kgs known as the Super Welterweight division. There are very few boxers currently in the division in New Zealand including Bowyn Morgan who is on the edge of retiring as well. The other boxer to look at would be the recently crown New Zealand Middleweight Champion Marcus Heywood who has fought in the Super Welterweight division multiple times in the past. Andrei Mikhailovich called out Beau O’Brien in the past before O’Brien went on a temporary retirement in 2018, however, it is unlikely for that fight to go ahead as Mikhailovich is secured in the Middleweight division, as well as being ranked in the WBO and IBF.

© Scoop Media