Some four months later the pair finally go toe to toe for the WBF title, as they have been added to the upcoming Dave Murphy promoted ‘Thunder & Lightning’ event, which takes place at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 27th April 2013.

Goodwin, the reigning World Boxing Foundation Lightweight World Champion, switches allegiance to the more meaningful World Boxing Federation in his quest to add further silverware to his trophy cabinet, where he aims to not only include the WBF Inter-Continental but ultimately the WBF World Championship belt to his collection, that already includes the aforementioned World Boxing Foundation World Lightweight and both the International Masters Lightweight and Welterweight belts.

He is mightily unlucky not to also include the Lonsdale Belt to his collection, after losing, by a really close split points decision, to Carl Johanneson in their sensational BBBofC Lightweight Title eliminator back in March last year.

As stated previously Goodwin is keen to add the World Boxing Federation crown to his collection, but before he gets the chance he must first deal with the highly experienced championship campaigner Oisin Fagan.

Back in December Goodwin stated, “I know I am in for a tough night.

Fagan has been in with the likes of Paul Spadafora and Amir Khan, and he is an Irish hero.

He has a lot of experience. This is a real fight and I am getting excited about it already.”

You can be sure Goodwin’s thoughts haven’t changed over the past few months, especially since Fagan is an experienced championship campaigner himself, during his career the Dubliner has been crowned USA Oklahoma State Lightweight, Oklahoma State Lightweight and Irish Light Welterweight King.

In addition Fagan had also fought Verquan Kimbrough for the USBA Lightweight title, which he lost by a close split points decision.

Amir ‘King’ Khan then stopped the tough Irishman in the second round to lift the WBA International Lightweight crown in December 2008.

Then in 2009 Dublin’s Eddie Hyland had his hands full when they battled for the IBF Super Featherweight belt, Hyland winning by unanimous points decision after twelve sensational all action rounds of boxing.

Fagan’s last Championship outing was in 2010, when he unsuccessfully challenged Irish Lightweight Champion Andy Murray for his crown.

Main support sees Dean ‘Irish Lightning’ Byrne takes on Jay ‘IOW Assassin’ Morris, for the International Masters Welterweight title

Byrne’s sensational performance against former USBA Welterweight Champion Carson Jones back in December surely makes the plucky Irishman favourite to lift his first domestic crown.

However you just can’t write off Morris though, as the former British Masters Light Welterweight Champion is about as tough as they come.

Making his professional debut on the show is 2010 Commonwealth Boxing Championships Gold Medalist and European Silver Medalist Iain Weaver.

2009 ABA Champion Weaver was a pivotal member of Team GB Podium squad for almost four and half years, including the build up to the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he was pipped at the post for selection by eventual Gold Medalist Luke Campbell.

Peckham’s Diego Burton makes a welcome return to York Hall, where he has previously won twice, as well as scored a credible draw on his debut.

Woolwich’s Marianne Marston, the protégé of legendary Heavyweight Champion of the World Smokin’ Joe Frazier and two time Cruiserweight Champion of the World Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham, makes her well overdue debut, against Latvia’s Aleksandra Jasjukevica.

Marston, who is now trained by Barry Smith at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, is a big punching Southpaw that originally learned her craft in the fighting City of Philadelphia, USA, under the highly experienced eyes of the aforementioned greats Frazier and Cunningham.

Bermondsey based Nigerian battler Ideh Ockuko will be looking to put his last fight, against unbeaten prospect Adam Dingsdale, behind him.

It was a fantastic Battle Royale that could have gone either way, most present thought the match a draw, however the man that matters, the referee, gave the decision to Dingsdale by a very close 38-39 points margin.

21 year old Chris Rackley from Slough in Berkshire will be keen to impress when he returns to York Hall, the scene of his hard fought draw against the highly experienced Liam Griffiths back in February.

West Drayton’s unbeaten Welterweight Scrappa Smith makes his first visit to York Hall and will also be looking to build on his two great wins to date.

Last but not least Wokingham’s Mark Douglas makes his long awaited return to the ring, following a long, forced, sabbatical after he dislocated his shoulder whilst battling with Lee Purdy for the Southern Area strap back in 2009.

Oisin Fagan versus Chris Goodwin, for the WBF Inter-Continental Lightweight title, headlines Dave Murphy’s Thunderdrome Promotions ‘Thunder & Lightning’ event at York Hall, Bethnal Green in London on the 27th April 2013.

Tickets, priced £65 (Ringside), £35 (Floor) and £30 (Balcony) are available on-line at either www.tkoboxoffice.com or www.mariannemarston.com

Tickets can also be purchased from any of the listed Boxers and are also available at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, London E16 4SA – www.tkoboxinggym.com – or the Ringtone Gym in Euston, London NW1 2PB – www.ringtonehealthandfitness.com – Tel: 07960 850645 or 07557 641597 for further information.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

“I’m excited to return to the United States and once again fight on HBO. Matthew Macklin is a skilled, strong fighter and I look forward to the challenge of defending my titles on June 29th,” said Golovkin. “I have seen a few of his fights and am very conscious of how tough of a battle this is.”

“Golovkin hasn’t put a foot wrong yet as a pro. He’s destroyed pretty much everyone and, as a consequence, he’s probably the most hyped fighter in the sport right now,” said Macklin. “People have made him out to be this monster, but he bleeds red just like everyone else and, for the first time in his career, he’s going to be stepping into the ring against a big, strong, proper world-class middleweight.

“When you compare my last three opponents to Golovkin’s last three opponents, it’s clear who the proven entity is, going into this fight. I got robbed against Felix Sturm in Germany, it was nip-and-tuck between me and Sergio Martinez until I got caught in the eleventh, and last time out, I blew away Joachim Alcine inside a round, a former world champ who was coming off a career-best win.”

“Gennady is excited to return to the ring so quickly to defend his titles against a proven, top-rated middleweight in Matthew Macklin. Gennady was ringside for Macklin’s fight against Sergio Martinez last March and saw firsthand how dangerous he is, as he dropped Sergio in the seventh round,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions.

“GGG has become one of the most talked-about fighters in boxing. This fight with Macklin will be a very hot ticket. We’re thankful to HBO for featuring Gennady again and also to the Foxwoods Resort Casino for hosting this event.”

“Golovkin-Macklin is one of the very best fights that can be made in the middleweight division and all of boxing,” said Macklin’s promoter, Lou DiBella. “It figures to be a barnburner and we are thrilled that Matthew is getting another deserved opportunity at a world title.”

“This is a fight fan’s fight,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President, HBO Sports. “We are thrilled that both fighters accepted the challenge and we are looking forward to a terrific night of boxing on HBO.”

“Foxwoods Resort Casino is proud to be teaming up with DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions to bring a stellar championship match to Connecticut; proving once again that Foxwoods is the premier venue for professional boxing on the East Coast,” said Scott Butera, Foxwoods’ president and CEO. “The Golovkin-Macklin fight will be one for the record books.”

Known for his heavy hands and brutal knockouts and sporting a perfect record of 26-0-0 with 23 knockouts, Golovkin has quickly become the most talked-about fighter in the sport. His 88% knockout ratio ranks highest among active world champions.

Based in Stuttgart, Germany, and training under the watchful eye of Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California, Golovkin dramatically burst onto the U.S. boxing scene this past SEPTEMBER 1 with a sensational performance, dropping WBA #3-ranked challenger Grzegorz Proksa three times en route to a fifth-round stoppage in Verona, New York. He followed that up with a dominating seventh-round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing”. Both world title defenses were televised on HBO.

Most recently, Golovkin stayed undefeated with a devastating third-round knockout of former world title challenger Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, his 13th consecutive victory by knockout and eighth title defense.

Irish middleweight contender Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin, 29-4 (20 KOs), is an intelligent boxer-puncher, who has shown that he is not afraid to engage or press the action when necessary. He is currently ranked #3 by the WBC, #11 by the WBA, and #14 by the IBF.

In his first stateside appearance since a pair of 2005 victories, Macklin challenged middleweight champion Sergio “Maravillia” Martinez at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012. Although he came up short, Macklin gave the champion all he could handle for 11 rounds, even scoring a knockdown in the seventh frame, in front of thousands of fans at the Garden and those watching on HBO.

Returning to the ring six months later, Macklin faced former junior middleweight champion Joachim Alcine in Las Vegas, destroying him inside one round, making an emphatic statement that he belongs among the best middleweights in the world.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

The 20-year-old former Irish international will box on a show held in association with Steve Wood’s VIP Promotions at the Olympia in Liverpool on May 24.

Burnett, who won 94 of 98 bouts, picking up seven All-Ireland titles, six Antrim titles, four Ulster titles and a gold medal at the Youth Olympics, will fight at bantamweight.

He should have made his pro berth last year, but queries on his medical led to more than 12 months of inactivity. During that time he stayed in the gym with trainer Ricky Hatton, and was given the green light to box by the British Boxing Board of Control in February.

“I can’t wait. I’ve been looking forward to this for 12 months and now it’s finally here. I’m counting down the minutes,” Ryan said.

“Now I’ve got a date it’s about getting my head down and putting in the hard work.

“Because of the time I’ve had to wait, I really want to make a big statement. But I know I can’t just go in there throwing bombs, I have to stay calm and listen to what Ricky tells me to do in the corner.

“I’ve had more than a year in the gym working on technique and now it’s time to show people how I’ve come on.”

Despite his debut being away from home, Burnett believes a small corner of the Emerald Isle will behind him when he steps into the ring.

He said: “Every day since I signed to go pro I’ve loads of people asking me when I’m fighting and how they can get tickets. I’m expecting at least 100 to 150 to fly over from Belfast for this fight.

“Liverpool has quite a large Irish population as well, so I hope some of them will hear about me boxing there and come out to support me.”

On paper globe trotting Irishman Byrne has to be the bookies favourite, especially following his sensational performance against former USBA Welterweight Champion Carson Jones back in December – where he was mightily unlucky to receive ‘a draw’ and not the clear win that most pundits thought he thoroughly deserved.

Saying that though, former British Masters Light Welterweight Champion Morris is no walk over. The fifty two fight veteran from the Isle Of Wight is as tough as they come.

One thing for sure is this will be a classic boxer versus puncher encounter, with Byrne utilizing his classy boxing skills to maximum effect to keep the ‘Isle of Wight Assassin’ on the outside, whilst Morris will be eager to close down Byrne, get inside and pound the body of the slick Irishman.

In keeping with the international theme of the event, main support for Byrne versus Morris sees Lithuanian knockout artist Virgilijus Stapulionis returning to the UK to once again thrill the fans – Don’t blink though, as in his previous two visits to the Capital the big punching Middleweight dispatched his opponents within one round.

Peckham’s Diego Burton makes a welcome return to York Hall, where he has previously won twice, as well as scored a credible draw on his debut.

TRAD TKO’s very own Marianne Marston makes her well overdue debut, against Latvia’s Aleksandra Jasjukevica.

Marston, the protégé of legendary Heavyweight Champion of the World Smokin’ Joe Frazier and two time Cruiserweight Champion of the World Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham, is a big punching Southpaw that learned her craft in the fighting City of Philadelphia, USA – ‘nuff said!

Bermondsey based Nigerian battler Ideh Ockuko will be looking to get back to winning ways.

Ockuko’s last fight, against unbeaten prospect Adam Dingsdale, was a fantastic barnstormer that could have gone either way, in the end though the decision went to Dingsdale by a very close 38-39 points margin.

Chris Rackley will be making his third professional outing. The 21 year old Welterweight from Slough in Berkshire will be keen to impress when he returns to York Hall, the scene of his hard fought draw against the highly experienced Liam Griffiths back in February.

Another youngster, 22 year old Scrappa Smith from West Drayton, makes his first visit to York Hall and will also be looking to build on his two great wins to date.

Local boy, Francis Maina from Limehouse, will be looking to get back to winning ways, having lost his last three outings – all away from home fights and against unbeaten prospects.

Last but not least Wokingham’s Mark Douglas makes his long awaited return to the ring, following a long, forced, sabbatical after he dislocated his shoulder whilst battling with Lee Purdy for the Southern Area strap back in 2009.

Dean ‘Irish Lightning’ Byrne versus Jay ‘IOW Assassin’ Morris, for the International Masters Welterweight Championship, headlines Dave Murphy’s Thunderdrome Promotions ‘Thunder & Lightning’ event at York Hall, Bethnal Green in London on the 27th April 2013.

Tickets, priced £65 (Ringside), £35 (Floor) and £30 (Balcony) are available on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, London E16 4SA – www.tkoboxinggym.com – or the Ringtone Gym in Euston, London NW1 2PB – www.ringtonehealthandfitness.com – Tel: 07960 850645 or 07557 641597 for further information.

The historic event, set for May 14 and sponsored by AnyAutos.ie, will feature an Irish fight title and is the first time in the history of our City that City Hall have hosted a pro boxing event in their building. The show will be staged under the licence of Emerald Promotions.

All the boxers are fighting for extremely nominal purses, and 100% of profits are being donated to The Oscar Knox Appeal.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Tierna Cunningham stated “As Deputy Mayor I am delighted that the Oscar Knox Appeal is one of my designated charities. Oscar is a special wee boy who deserves every chance in life. Leadership, inspiration, fighting spirit are all qualities that link Oscar to this event. I am privileged to play even a small part in it. Its special and unique to me that this event is so groundbreaking.”

“The word ‘FIGHT’ means an awful lot to many people, and for the past 18 months it’s meant everything to us. After all, there can be no greater fight than the fight for life.

“We’ve watched our wee Oscar battle many obstacles, and overcome them, and all we can do is support him.
We decided very early on that we needed to tackle this situation we’ve found ourselves in with one thing on our mind – winning. Losing is not an option.

“With all this in mind, we feel that in some way we can relate to one of the most gruelling sports in the world –boxing,” added Stephen and Leona Knox, parents of Oscar Knox.

This, coupled with Oscar’s own love of boxing, has driven us to showcase this historic event.

“Oscar’s battle has united people here, and the courage, spirit and determination with which he fights it make us incredibly proud to unveil ‘FEARLESS’ – a historic night of professional boxing in honour of our son.

“There are many incredible and generous people who have made this happen, and an unbelievable amount of work has taken place behind the scenes to get us to this point.”

The show will feature five contests of professional boxing and is headlined by Belfast’s Kevin O’Hara versus Dublin’s Noel O’Brien for the Irish Light Welterweight Title, and is expected to have more ‘title’ fights on the bill, which is unprecedented for a show of this relatively small capacity.

We are confident that this event will also become one of the fastest selling evens in Irish boxing history, due to the uniqueness of it and the iconic building in which it is being staged. Demand for tickets is expected to be extremely strong and we are extremely confident on a total sell-out. We are also expecting several celebrity guests to attend the event.

Producer Chris Hughes said “As members of the boxing community in Ireland, we are honoured to have been invited to produce this event. It is a testament to quite how far the sport is coming that our iconic City Hall have now invited the the sport into their venue. Working under Chris Graham at Emerald Promotions, we have worked hard to put together an amazing show and it promises to be a great night of boxing, and also a great nights craic.’’

After the event Deputy Mayor Cunningham will host an invitation-only afterparty in an adjoining room with a mixture of entertainment, dancing and refreshments. Star singer Jordan O’Keefe has been secured for the occassion.

In line with the prestige of the host venue, a smart dress code is being applied, with suits and dresses welcome (but not mandatory).

Tickets are priced at £30, £50, and£75 and are available from Belfast Welcome Centre, all boxers on the bill, Breens Gym, and Emerald Promotions.

Cork hero O’Sullivan, the WBO International Middleweight Champion, defends his title against hot Liverpool prospect Joe Selkirk as chief support to Paul Butler’s Commonwealth Super-Flyweight title challenge.

The show will be televised live and exclusive on the Home of Champions BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

O’Sullivan, 28, was in action last July at West Ham United’s ground on the David Haye-Dereck Chisora undercard when he defeated Manchester puncher Matthew Hall over twelve rounds to claim the vacant title.

Known as the Celtic Rebel and trained by Paschal Collins – the brother of former WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Steve, O’Sullivan is unbeaten in 15 fights with 9 stoppages.

“I’m the champion and I’m relishing the chance to go to Liverpool and defend my title against Selkirk in his back yard. I’ve boxed all over the place in America, Scotland and England, as well as in Ireland. It doesn’t phase me or bother me that I’m on his patch, it really appeals to me. I won the title on the road and now I’m defending it on the road. Selkirk’s a good tough fighter, he just wants to fight and so do I, the best will rise. I believe I’ve got the tools to beat him, but it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Selkirk is eager to be the next big star to emerge on the thriving Merseyside boxing scene.

The former amateur sensation, who won an ABA title and competed in the Junior Olympics, has put in some eye-catching performance in the pros, so far racking up an unbeaten 10 fight record and stopping 5 early.

Selkirk says challenging for the first title in his career will take his performance to another level.

He said, “I’m really excited about this one, I’m treating it like a world title. O’Sullivan is a good fighter, I’m not going to knock him, he’s unbeaten and has got a good record. I’m unbeaten as well and I’m looking forward to testing myself against him. I know how good I am and how good I can become and this is the fight where it will come out. This is the type of fight that I need to get the best out of me and you’ll see that.”

Ellesmere Port sensation Butler headlines a talent packed show when he challenges Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Champion Kareem for the title. Also on the card is Ellesmere Port’s Matthew Fagan; Liverpool’s former British Super-Featherweight Champion Stephen Smith; Lincoln light-heavyweight Calum Johnson; Welsh prospects Craig Evans (super-feather) and Liam Williams (Clydach Vale).

Remaining tickets priced at £30, £40 and £60 are available from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or eventim.co.uk

Watch Butler v Kareem and O’Sullivan v Selkirk live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546) on Saturday 12th April. To join go to www.boxnation.com

BoxNation is the first dedicated subscription boxing TV channel in the UK to bring together the biggest names in amateur, domestic and international boxing with an unmatched schedule of fights from across the globe.

For just £10 per month BoxNation offers unbeatable value for money for all fight fans. To subscribe to BoxNation simply go to www.boxnation.com and hit the “Subscribe Now” button and choose your subscription package.

Cork hero O’Sullivan, the WBO International Middleweight Champion, defends his title against hot Liverpool prospect Joe Selkirk as chief support to Paul Butler’s Commonwealth Super-Flyweight title challenge.

The show will be televised live and exclusive on the Home of Champions BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

O’Sullivan, 28, was in action last July at West Ham United’s ground on the David Haye-Dereck Chisora undercard when he defeated Manchester puncher Matthew Hall over twelve rounds to claim the vacant title.

Known as the Celtic Rebel and trained by Paschal Collins – the brother of former WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Steve, O’Sullivan is unbeaten in 15 fights with 9 stoppages.

“I’m the champion and I’m relishing the chance to go to Liverpool and defend my title against Selkirk in his back yard. I’ve boxed all over the place in America, Scotland and England, as well as in Ireland. It doesn’t phase me or bother me that I’m on his patch, it really appeals to me. I won the title on the road and now I’m defending it on the road. Selkirk’s a good tough fighter, he just wants to fight and so do I, the best will rise. I believe I’ve got the tools to beat him, but it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Selkirk is eager to be the next big star to emerge on the thriving Merseyside boxing scene.

The former amateur sensation, who won an ABA title and competed in the Junior Olympics, has put in some eye-catching performance in the pros, so far racking up an unbeaten 10 fight record and stopping 5 early.

Selkirk says challenging for the first title in his career will take his performance to another level.

He said, “I’m really excited about this one, I’m treating it like a world title. O’Sullivan is a good fighter, I’m not going to knock him, he’s unbeaten and has got a good record. I’m unbeaten as well and I’m looking forward to testing myself against him. I know how good I am and how good I can become and this is the fight where it will come out. This is the type of fight that I need to get the best out of me and you’ll see that.”

Ellesmere Port sensation Butler headlines a talent packed show when he challenges Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Champion Kareem for the title. Also on the card is Ellesmere Port’s Matthew Fagan; Liverpool’s former British Super-Featherweight Champion Stephen Smith; Lincoln light-heavyweight Calum Johnson; Welsh prospects Craig Evans (super-feather) and Liam Williams (Clydach Vale).

Remaining tickets priced at £30, £40 and £60 are available from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or eventim.co.uk

Watch Butler v Kareem and O’Sullivan v Selkirk live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546) on Saturday 12th April. To join go to www.boxnation.com

BoxNation is the first dedicated subscription boxing TV channel in the UK to bring together the biggest names in amateur, domestic and international boxing with an unmatched schedule of fights from across the globe.

For just £10 per month BoxNation offers unbeatable value for money for all fight fans. To subscribe to BoxNation simply go to www.boxnation.com and hit the “Subscribe Now” button and choose your subscription package.

Fury hopes to bring the “Luck of the Irish” with him when he takes on former two-time world champion Steve Cunningham, 25-5, 12 KOs, in a 12-round IBF heavyweight elimination fight. The winner of the bout, which will be broadcast live 4PM ET in the states on network television by NBC, earns the #2 spot in the IBF rankings, and stays on course for a shot at champion Wladimir Klitschko. The event will be Fury’s American debut.

Fury, who is of Irish heritage and was named after boxing great Mike Tyson, is no fighting leprechaun. In fact, at 6′ 9″, he is quite the opposite, and should prove to be a tall task for Cunningham to topple. The battle-tested “USS” Cunningham has been in the ring with top quality foes, all over the world. However, he’s never faced a hard-punching giant like Fury.

Cunningham moved up from the Cruiserweight division last year, and has looked good as a heavyweight thus far, but this fight should determine whether or not he can handle one of the gloved giants that so dominate the heavyweight division these days.

Fury is a fighting machine with heavy hands and size advantages enough to make any Cunningham fan very nervous. Fury was the first to defeat Londoner Dereck Chisora, and added tough guy Vinnie Maddalone to his list of victims last year. In his most recent outing, Fury beat well-rounded former title challenger Kevin Johnson over 12 rounds to bring his winning streak to an even 20 straight.

Fury is on a roll but along with advantages in height and weight, he’ll need to bring his “A” game and a bit of that Irish fortune to the Garden if he wants to add USS Steve to his win column. Bookmakers in England have the odds even. The battle should be everything fans look for in a high-profile international heavyweight contest – especially if it’s anything like the press conference to announce the fight.

When the fighters came together for the first time last week, emotions flared on the dais, and Fury made it clear he would make a memorable American debut on April 20th. “I’m a man on a mission,” Fury said. “I mean business. Your heavyweight run is coming to an end. I’m going to retire you Steve.”

Cunningham mostly stayed in control, saying he doesn’t like it when fighters do their talking outside of the ring. “The guys who talk a lot? They’re chumps,” Cunningham said.

We’ll find out who is correct at Madison Square Garden Theatre in about one month.

Danny Leigh’s “Boxing At The Movies: Kings Of The Ring” on BBC has got everyone talking about their favourite boxing related films. Over the years I try to watch as many boxing related films as I can, so here are my current top ten – but they could all change again next week!

1. Requiem for a Heavyweight. Classic tale of a ‘punchy’ past it alcoholic ‘big man’ that is exploited and manipulated by those around him as he is traded as cannon fodder to up-and-coming prospects and freak shows in order to pay off debt. Wonderfully played by Anthony Quinn with a fantastic cameo by Muhammad Ali.

2. Gentleman Jim. A slick 40′s production with elegance and class starring Erroll Flynn as ‘Gentleman’ Jim Corbett. Mainly a love story but the Pseudo-sophisticated ‘Lace curtain Irish’ Corbett is juxtaposed against rough tough fellow Irish American James L. Sullivan as the eventually fight for the world title.

3. Fat City. Murky tale starring Stacy Keach who plays a boxer inspired to regain former glories and keep his relationship with a younger woman together after mentoring a young prospect. However is quickly becomes disillusioned with boxing and returns to his old bad habits.

4. Raging Bull. Scorsese directed emotional rollercoasting classic. Regarded by many as the best boxing film ever. A depressing story of a New York Italian-American who struggles to balance aggressive paranoia and his magnificent talent. Wonder realistic fight scenes which highlight the brute ignorance, will power and fortitude that Mob controlled Jake LaMotta displayed throughout his career.

5. Rocky. The first and the best. Parking your critical eye at the popcorn counter as this the often corny classic ‘American Dream’ tale depicts an easily lead blue-collar enforcer for a local hood gets serious about boxing when handed the opportunity of a lifetime to fight for a World title in his home town. A massive underdog he slips to a points decision loss in an epic struggle with Apollo Creed but gets the girl.

6. Rocky II. Public opinion bitterly twists ‘Money Mayweather’ type champion Apollo Creed who forces a reluctant ‘everyman’ Rocky into another bite at the golden cherry. Micky whips the Rock into the shape of the life which give Balboa the stamina to climb the ropes off the canvas to beat the count following a dual knockdown and become the champ.

7. The Champ. A tough mans Bambi or Watership Down. Connoisseurs should try and obtain a copy of the original 30′s version, which is every bit as good, maybe even better, or maybe I am just trying to impress.

8. Rocky III. More fun and flashy than its previous two episodes, Rocky III expores the desire of the champions once they have achieved their goals.

9. Body and Soul. Highly acclaimed and loved by general film buffs. This 40′s black and white flicks follows a reluctant fighter as his climbs the ladder but gets deeper and deeper out of his depth and faced with multiple moral dilemmas.

10. Cinderella Man. James J. Braddock swallows a career of lumps and bumps only to be left penniless and struggling as a dockworker in the Irish-American enclave of Bergan, New Jersey, Braddock returns to the ring and ultimately defeats flashy playboy Max Baer for the heavyweight strap.

The Northsider will join his gym mates Noel O Brian, Willie Mitchell, Philip Sutcliffe Jr and Willie Casey on the Dundalk bill that also includes some Belfast’s brightest pugilistic prospects.

Having picked up a cut against Andy Lee just three weeks ago, it has proved a waiting game for Fitzgerald who just today received the all clear from his doctor. Today’s news is another boost for the 27 year old who is delighted to maintain his current upward momentum.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to fight in Dundalk but I’m delighted the doctor gave me the all clear today. Unfortunately I got cut in Belfast and was also unable to take up another offer of a big fight in case the cut didn’t heal but thankfully I can now join the rest of the lads on this bill and keep things going for myself”.

Having pulled off what many Irish boxing fans believed was impossible when he pushed fellow Irishman Andy Lee right to the wire the Dubliner believes keeping active will ensure him an eventual crack at a major title.

“It’s really important that I stay active if I’m to build on my performance against Andy Lee which proved to a lot of doubters that I have what it takes to mix it at the highest level. While I preformed well against Lee I know that I can get a lot better and it will be by getting fights and working hard in the gym that doors will continue to open for me”.

Fitzgerald’s inclusion is certainly the topping on what is surly one of the most talent packed small hall shows Ireland has ever seen. Also making his first appearance since returning to former trainer Phil Sutcliffe is former European champion and world title challenger Big Bang Willie Casey.

The Homecoming fight night will also showcase one of the most anticipated professional boxing debuts in many years as the heavy handed former Irish senior champion Philip Sutcliffe Jr swaps the vest for the paid ranks.

Full details of the fight card will be announced in the coming days. Tickets are priced at £30/ €35 unreserved & £40/ €50 ringside and are available from fighters or Stephen Sharpe on 0879537526 & Philip Sutcliffe on 0879719193