MCCLOSKEY AND FRAMPTON TO PERFORM BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTER DRAW AT STORMONT

Dudey and the Jackal to decide all-Irish Middleweight contenders fate on Wednesday

Paul McCloskey and Carl Frampton will perform the draw for the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights at Stormont Parliament Buildings on Wednesday afternoon (May 2) ahead of the action live on Sky Sports from the King’s Hall on Saturday night (May 5).

The eight contenders will look on with great interest as Dudey and the Jackal match them up for the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night tournament which precedes McCloskey taking on ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley as the Dungiven star aims to get a second World title shot. Former British featherweight champ Martin Lindsay kicks off the night but Jamie Conlan has been forced to pull out of the show through illness.

Previous Prizefighter nights have seen the draw made live on Sky Sports in the ring, but now the fighters will know the route they have to take in advance, and Belfast man Joe Rea hopes his path leads to a final with fellow Belfast fighter Eamonn O’Kane, so he can exact revenge for defeat in their eight round cracker in the Odyssey Arena in September.

“Eamonn is a good fighter but I know 100 per cent that I have the beating of him so I do really hope for a rematch with him for the title,” said Rea. “I’d like to see him in the final. We’re both from the north so it’d be great for Irish boxing. I know Eamonn will sell a load of tickets and I know that I’ve sold a load of tickets so I think the Belfast public deserve that final.”

O’Kane and Rea are joined by former two-weight Irish champ Ciaran Healy, Irish super middleweight champion JJ McDonagh, former champ Anthony Fitzgerald, unbeaten Lurgan man Ryan Greene, ‘Slick Fightin’ Irish’ Simon O’Donnell and Roscommon’s Darren Cruise.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster on: 0844 277 4455 (UK/Northern Ireland) or 0818 719 300 (Republic of Ireland) and at www.ticketmaster.ie

VIP packages priced £150 are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 and at www.matchroomboxing.com

MCCLOSKEY PUT ON RED ALERT FOR MARQUEZ FIGHT

Hearn says Corley win could spark JMM clash in July

Paul McCloskey’s May 5 clash with DeMarcus Corley live on Sky Sports has taken a new twist after he was named as a possible opponent for Juan Manuel Marquez’s July 14 fight in Texas.

The WBO interim light welterweight champion takes over Cowboys Stadium that night and the four-weight king has been linked with a fight with Dudey after his promoter suggested his preference for a southpaw opponent.

McCloskey faces the former WBO champ ‘Chop Chop’ Corley on May 5 at the King’s Hall in Belfast in a huge night for boxing for the city, with the all-Irish middleweight Betfair Prizefighter, Martin Lindsay and Jamie Conlan all in action, and now McCloskey’s promoter Eddie Hearn says the show has taken on even greater significance with the former unbeaten European champion in the running for a shot at the pound-for-pound Mexican great.

“Paul’s name has been mentioned by JMM’s team in the last week and I reached out to Top Rank yesterday to let them know that we’d love the fight,” said Hearn. “I think we are in with a decent chance but a convincing win against Corley in front of a packed King’s Hall crowd would strengthen our case for a July clash with Marquez.”

McCloskey added: “It’s an honour to be linked with a showdown with Juan Manuel and it’s a dream fight for me. May 5 has always been a pivotal night for me as I aim to get back into World title contention, and this news has made a huge occasion even bigger.”

Tickets priced at £30 (unreserved), £40 (reserved balcony or unreserved floor), £60 (outer-ringside) and £100 (ringside) are available from Ticketmaster on 0844 277 4455 – UK/Northern Ireland customers, 0818 719 300 – Republic of Ireland customers and at http://www.ticketmaster.ie/

VIP packages priced £150 are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 and at http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Paul McCloskey’s fans can also buy their tickets at the prices above from Eurospar Dungiven and any EuroXchange outlet.

Tyson Fury: This is my Olympic gold medal

London (March 27) TYSON Fury says winning the Irish heavyweight title will be like standing on the Olympic podium with a gold medal around his neck.

Fury meets Belfast hard man Rogan for the vacant Irish title at the Odyssey Arena on April 14 four years on from being denied the opportunity to box for Ireland at the Olympics in Beijing.

The Titanic battle between Fury and Rogan, proudly presented by Hennessy Sports, will be broadcast live on Channel 5.

The undefeated former British and Commonwealth heavyweight is determined to show he is a true Irish warrior by knocking out Rogan and then going on to win the World heavyweight title.

The pain of missing out on the Olympics still hurts Fury but he says winning the Irish title will help to ease that pain.

“When I knock out Rogan and get that Irish title around my waist it will be like me winning the gold medal at the Olympics. To win the title in the year of London 2012 will be very special,” commented Fury. “I always knew I was Irish and now everybody knows that those who prevented me from boxing for Ireland at the Olympics in Beijing denied Ireland an Olympic heavyweight gold medalist.

“It hurt me deeply not being able to fight for Ireland at the Olympics and to win this Irish title will be just fantastic. I don’t care about Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, those guys can wait because winning the Irish heavyweight championship in Belfast means everything to me.

“Wee Rogie is going to give it everything and I hope he has been training hard because I am going to be in the shape of my life. It’s going to be a painful night for wee Rogie.

“I have locked myself away like never before to make sure that I am ready to show the Irish people how good I am and how much it means to be Irish champion.”

Joining Tyson Fury, Martin Rogan will be middleweight sensation Chris Eubank Jr from Brighton, Former Commonwealth Champion Irishman John O'Donnell, Belfast fighters Jamie Conlan, Dee Walsh, Darren Corbett, Tommy Tolan, Ciaran Healy, Marc Mccullough, Conall Carmichael, Moses Matovu and County Mayo’s Michael Sweeney.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the UNFINISHED BUSINESS event at the Odyssey Arena on April 14th are priced at £155, £105, £65, £44, £33 and £27.50 and can be purchased from the Odyssey Arena Box Office on 028 9073 9074, or via Ticketmaster on 0844 277 4455 (24 hour).

Tickets can also be purchased in person from the Odyssey Arena Box Office and the usual Ticketmaster outlets.

Tickets are also available to purchased online from http://www.ticketmaster.ie/

Fight Card – Odyssey Arena Apr 14.

Bill Subject to Change**.

Irish Heavyweight Championship
12 x 3 min rounds
Tyson Fury (Nutts Corner / Manchester) vs. Martin Rogan (Belfast)

Middleweight Contest
6 x 3 min rounds
Chris Eubank Jr (Brighton) vs. TBA

Light Middleweight Contest
8 x 3 min rounds
John O’Donnell (Galway / Shepherd’s Bush) vs. TBA

Bantamweight Contest
4 x 3 min rounds
Jamie Conlan (Belfast) vs. TBA

Cruiserweight Contest
8 x 3 min rounds
Darren Corbett (Belfast) vs. Michael Sweeney (County Mayo)

Middleweight Contest
6 x 3 min rounds
Dee Walsh (Belfast) vs. Tommy Tolan (Belfast)

Cruiserweight Contest
4 x 3 min rounds
Conall Carmichael** (Belfast) vs. Moses Matovu (Belfast)

Light Heavyweight Contest
8 x 3 min rounds
Ciaran Healy (Belfast) vs. TBA

Featherweight Contest
4 x 3 min rounds
Marc McCullough (Belfast) vs. TBA
**Pro Debut