Dan O'Sullivan

Dagenham BC secretary will be the ring announcer in 2012

For years Danny O’Sullivan has enjoyed his role as MC at local boxing shows, sometimes watched by a mere handful of spectators, but he admits his excitement as he anticpates his ‘big gig’ this summer – announcing the 2012 Olympic competitors to a world-wide audience of many millions.

The 40-year-old secretary of Dagenham Boxing Club – known to all and sundry as Dagger Dan – admits he was shocked and delighted when he received his official Games call recently.

The local police officer’s selection for the role followed his appearance in the test event at the ExCel Arena – where the Games boxing tournament takes place – and the TV studio test sessions.

“I was not very confident after I did the test event as I was up against some top quality opposition, and I did not speak any foreign languages,” he said.

He also thought his wife Lisa had jinxed his chances when she gave him his Christmas present, a set of expensive cuff-links with the Olympic emblem, before he had got the call.

She jumped the gun, clearly more confident than her husband, but it was justified a few weeks later when the confirmation arrived that he had been selected.

O’Sullivan is one of four sons, his elder brothers Brendon and Sean and younger brother Liam have all been connected with the Dagenham club, where his father Jim was a successful matchmaker and even his mother Dee has played her part as a long term joint-treasurer.

The boxing official, a father of three who lives in Dagenham, was born in Newham at his grandmother’s house in Monega Road, Forest Gate, and served in the Olympic borough as a police officer for five years.

That was prior to his present role as a ‘Safer Schools Partnership’ Police Officer – currently at Dagenham Park Church of England School – after a similar role at Warren School in Chadwell Heath.

He admits he was apprehensive about his role in the biggest sporting bonanza this country has even seen.

“I’ve only ever presented to relatively small audiences with no live TV. But I’m now confident I can help make London 2012 a memorable occasion,” he explained.

However, his big regret is he has been unable to get any Olympic tickets for his pals from the Heathway gym, which has been the club home for 12 years, but is currently under threat with a rent review demanding they pay seven times their previous rent.

“I do feel bit guilty, because I can’t get any tickets for our boxers and coaches to attend the Games – despite bidding for 30 sets,” he said.

However, he admits his biggest thrill would come with the opportunity to announce one of the Team GB boxers as the winner of an Olympic Gold.

“It could even be a Londoner – heavyweight hope Anthony Joshua or even Martin Ward, a classy lightweight who started out at Dagenham ABC, who have both targeted success in the summer,” he added.

Dan smiles in eager anticipation of his role at the greatest sports show on earth: “No doubt about it, I’ve got the Olympic buzz,” he admitted.

■ Barking BC boxer Jay Johnson faces Stevenage rival Jason Draper in the quarter-finals of the National Schools’ Boxing Championships at Oxford on Saturday.

The Barking Abbey schoolboy already London champion, bids for the national semi finals alongside Dagenham boxer George Landers who waits for his Home Counties opponent to be confirmed.

■ Local boxers are lined up for action on the Fairbairn BC tournament at East Ham Working Mens Club, Boleyn Road E6 on Friday night with boxers in action preparing for the start of the ABA championships later this month. The show starts at 7.45 and tickets are available at the door.

■ Dagenham Boxing Club have lined up an attractive bill for their tournament on Saturday, February 18, at Dagenham Park CoE School.

■ Barking BC plan their next club show at East Ham Working Mens’ Club, Boleyn Road E6 on Thursday March 1 with visiting boxers from London and South East clubs lined up to appear on the night.