The dawn of a new decade signifies the beginning of another exciting period for Irish boxing with the stars of the next generation being showcased on the Yanjing Fight Night at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, February 13th. For the first time ever a record breaking 4 Irish titles will be up for grabs on the same night with the Heavyweight, Super Middleweight, Lightweight and Featherweight belts on the line. The event will be headlined by the long talked about clash between unbeaten Cavan star Andy Murray and Dublin’s Oisin “Gael Force” Fagan in their Irish Lightweight decider..
The undercard will feature the first Irish Heavyweight title fight in almost 13 years with Galway’s Coleman Barrett and Dublin’s Colin Kenna contesting the vacant crown while the Super Middleweight title will also be up for grabs between Dublin’s Anthony Fitzgerald and Leeds based Belfast man Lee Murtagh.
At Featherweight the exciting Dubliner Patrick Hyand will look to make the first defence of his title and put his 18 fight unbeaten record on the line against London based Cork man Mickey Coveney. It all adds up to a quality night of Irish title action in Dublin as the likes of Murray, Hyland, Barrett and Fitzgerald look to underline their status as the future stars of Irish boxing.
Promoter Brian Peters believes this is the kind of grassroots event that underlines the current strength of Irish boxing. “To have 4 Irish title fights in one night is amazing when you consider that at the start of the last decade we had a 5 year period (April 2000 – February 2005) without even one Irish title fight,” said Peters.
“Next months show underlines just how much the sport has grown here over the last 5 years and the level of talent that’s still emerging through the ranks. RTÉ’s support has been crucial to that development and they will be covering this event live as well. I think that underlines their continued commitment to the development of the sport here and the emerging talent coming through the ranks.
“The main event is a real crossroads clash between Andy and Oisin and it’s a fight Irish boxing fans have been talking about for quite a while now,” said Peters. “Coleman Barrett did brilliantly in the last heavyweight Prizefighter getting to the final. He was winning the final too until he got caught by Audley Harrison so its great to see him in an Irish Heavyweight title fight and to have that title active again.
“Patrick Hyland and Anthony Fitzgerald have both been very impressive of late so there will be a lot of talent on display next month and with Irish titles on the line there’s going to be an awful lot of pride at stake as well.”
Andy Murray is surely the most established of the emerging talents on the Irish scene having won two Irish titles (at Lightweight and Light Welterweight) and the European Union Lightweight title en route to compiling a 17 fight unbeaten record.
A broken collarbone suffered last September threatened to derail Murray’s progress but he made a quick return to action when he outpointed Ecuador’s Alex Bone in an exciting encounter on the undercard to Matthew Macklin’s points win at the National Stadium last month. Now Murray’s looking forward to topping a bill live on RTÉ for the first time and finally coming face to face with friend and rival Oisin Fagan in the ring.
“It’s great to headline on RTÉ because it really boosts your profile,” said Murray. “It’s going to be great experience for me and it’s all part of the learning curve as your career progresses. It’s a massive chance for me to show people what I can do and hopefully it will be the start of a big year for me. I’ve loads of respect for Oisin, we’ve always got on well but we’ll have to put that aside on the night. I’ve had to fight my friends down through the years in the amateurs, it’s just something you get on with and afterwards there’s no hard feelings, it’s just business at the end of the day.
“Oisin’s been in with some of the best and he has all that experience from those big fights he had during his time in the U.S. so I know it’s going to b a very hard night but obviously I’m confident that I can win it.”
Reflecting on last month’s win Murray said, “Mentally or physically I probably wasn’t at my best going into that fight but I was determined to get back in the ring as quickly as possible. The collarbone was still a concern going into the fight because it was still a bit tender. I sparred ok but you never really know how an injury like that will react until you’re actually in there in a real fight. I came through ok and I was happy enough with the win but the collarbone was a little sore afterwards.
“I’ve been having physio on it since and it definitely feels a lot stronger now so I don’t think it’s going to be a factor in this fight.”
Murray’s opponent knows all about broken bones with Portmarnock native Fagan having suffered a broken leg in his defeat to current World Champ Amir Khan just over a year ago. “It was a freak injury,” recalled Fagan who has also held the Irish Light Welterweight title previously.
“Khan caught me with a nice hook but it was a punch that wouldn’t normally have been enough to put me down. It put me off balance though and my foot turned awkwardly, I felt my ankle doubling up underneath me and heard a sickening crack. I knew at that moment, that I had broken something but I thought it was my ankle. The pain was incredible, but I got back up to fight.”
Amazingly Fagan fought on for another round with what doctors eventually diagnosed was a spiral fracture of his left fibula. The Dubliner made a speedy recovery and has since had three fights including a thrilling all Irish clash with Eddie Hyland which was voted the domestic fight of 2009.
He could be in line for that award again in 2010 if his clash with Murray lives up to expectations. “Andy and I have shared quite a few cards together over the last few years and we’ve got to know each other. He’s always been a gentleman and very down to earth so I respect him both inside and outside of the ring.
“He’s an exceptional boxer and he’s fundamentally sound, with a great amateur pedigree and a stellar reputation. That said, those who have followed my career up to now, know that reputations don’t really bother me and I tend to get riled up for the bigger occasions. I never run from anyone and I will walk through walls to get at my opponent. I fight for the respect of my countrymen and will go toe-to-toe with anyone in the world, to show them the heart and determination of a true son of Ireland. I’ve mixed it with the best in the world and have been unlucky at times, but my luck has got to change at some point and I feel that this is my time to shine!”
While Murray and Fagan will be contesting the Irish Lightweight title the big men will be going toe to toe at heavyweight with Coleman Barrett and Colin Kenna contesting the vacant national crown. Barrett’s impressive amateur career saw him win a Bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 2000 but his professional career had been of the stop start variety until he got the call to enter the most recent Heavyweight Prizefighter tournament.
Barrett, a first cousin of former Olympian Francis Barrett upset the odds by reaching the final where he appeared to be on his way to a points win against Olympic Gold medallist Audley Harrison before the big Londoner found the punches to stop the Galway native.
Now Barrett is hoping to follow in the footstep of the first ever Irish Heavyweight Champion, Peter Maher a fellow Galway man who won the title in 1890 before going on to win the World Heavyweight title. “This is a huge opportunity for me,” said Barrett who has won all but one of his pro fights with the lone defeat coming against Harrison.
“To fight for the Irish Heavyweight title will be a very proud moment for me in my career and it’s something I’ve always wanted to win.”
As for Harrison Barrett says he has unfinished business with the Londoner. “I’d love a rematch with him and the opportunity to return the favour. There is talk of him fighting for the European title in March and I wish him the very best of luck with that. Maybe if he wins he might consider giving me a rematch but for now I’m just happy to focus on this Irish title fight.”
Kenna however is equally fired up for next months bout. The brother of former Irish soccer international Jeff Kenna said, “This is a title I’ve wanted since the day I turned pro. I’m really fired up for this one and although I’m based in Southampton I’m a very proud Dubliner so it will be extra special getting to fight for it in my hometown.”
Another proud Dubliner is reigning Irish Featherweight Champ Patrick Hyland. The Tallaght man, (one of three brothers all boxing professionally and all reigning Irish Champs) has a perfect record of 18 straight wins and he’ll be looking to add to that next month with a win over Mickey Coveney, a seasoned campaigner from London with roots in County Cork.
The fourth Irish title fight on the card is the rearranged Super Middleweight title bout between Dublin’s Anthony Fitzgerald and Lee Murtagh. The bout was originally supposed to take place in December but a knee injury forced Murtagh to withdraw however Fitzgerald is sticking to his prediction of a win inside three rounds.
Two non title fights on the bill will see featherweight prospect Willie Casey and new Belfast pro Jamie Conlan looking to extend their unbeaten records.
Tickets for the Yanjing Fight Night priced €30, €40, €50 and €60 are available from Ticketmaster (phone 0818 719 300 or visit ticketmaster.ie) and all usual outlets.
For all the latest visit brianpeterspromotions.com.