6/27/07 - Tom Dodgewww.keeppunching.com  ALEXANDRIA – Sometimes opportunity comes when you least expect it.Lafayette’s Bobby “The Bayou Bomber” Aucoin was supposed to be on the fight card July 14 at Coushatta Casino in Kinder. The chance for a title was derailed by a hand injury and Aucoin was forced to withdraw from the “Shoot Out at Coushatta.” But that opened the door for Aucoin's former sparring partner to step up and fill the spot with only five professional fights to his credit. Heath “Lil Rocky” Nichols is on the threshold of the biggest fight of his professional boxing career – a chance at the Junior World Lightweight title and a jump from four rounds to a scheduled 10 round bout. “It is a huge step up for me,” Nichols said. “I am training extremely hard to be in the best shape possible to go the distance. This is going to be a big challenge for me at this time of my career, but I am ready. I will step up to the plate and hopefully hit a home run.” Matchmaker Kerry Daigle is confident Nichols will perform up to the task in spite of the obstacles. “His chances are very good because he trains like a Spartan and he can hit,” Daigle said. “He has a tremendous work ethic and a great attitude. “What will help him win is his gratefulness for having the opportunity,” Daigle added. “When I see that in a fighter, I see stardom. Sometimes those qualities are far better than the physical qualities. “Heath has both and that could make him a champion.” 
While Nichols is still undefeated, he said he is not worried if he is considered a long shot to win the fight.“It seems like I have always been the underdog in my fights and it doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “I know I have a bigger heart than my opponent and I will come out with a 110 percent. “That is how I got my Rocky nickname,” he said. “Early in my career I was always fighting the David versus Goliath type fights.” Nichols said he is not worried about jumping up to the longer fight, as his plan is to increase his sparring up to 10 rounds over the next three weeks and will continue his rigorous training schedule. “I will put forth every effort that I possibly can to get in the best shape I can to show the people of CENLA and all of Louisiana that I am a top quality fighter.” Nichols said he will have to change the way he thinks in the ring changing from a four round fight to longer bout. “In a four round fight you really want to win every round because it is such a short fight. In this 10-rounder, I will have to pace myself, withstand and be patient so I can go the distance. 
“That is my goal - I have to win this fight.”Nichols said he would have liked to face Gary Bergeron, but Bergeron declined the invitation. “I faced him twice before and beat him both times as an amateur,” Nichols said. “I guess he was just not ready for this fight.” At 5-0, this fight is the greatest chance for Nichols to jump up in the rankings as well as bring home a championship belt. “I thought that maybe 15 or 20 fights I would get the chance at a title,” he said. “This is the biggest fight of my career,” he said. “All this will do is broadcast me better and push me up in the rankings where I can get a bigger title shot one day.” For tickets call Ticketmaster at 1-800-488-5252 or the Coushatta box office AT1-800584-7263. Reserved stadium seating is $40, Bronze (floor seating) is $100, Silver (main floor seating) is $150 and Gold (ring side) is $200. About Coushatta: Located 25 miles northeast of Lake Charles on US 165 (I-10 Exit 44) and five miles north of Kinder, Coushatta Casino Resort is Louisiana’s largest land based gaming resort with over 2800 slot machines and 70 table games, plus a 16-table live Poker Room. Amenities include six restaurants on the casino floor, a supervised children’s activity center, teen arcade, 500 hotel rooms, 40-acre RV park with 100 pads plus 100 fully furnished chalets, a 3600-seat climate-controlled arena, an award-winning 18-hole par-72 championship golf course, and a 24-bay fuel facility with convenience store. Coushatta Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. Phone 1-800-584-7263 for more information, or access the website at www.coushattacasinoresort.com. 
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