The prospect of an Irish light heavyweight title clash between current strap holder Ciaran Healy and potential European title challenger Michael Sweeney has floundered at the first hurdle due to unreasonable purse demands according to Sweeney.
“The Storm” who secured a winning return last Saturday night against fellow Mayo man John Waldron following his unsuccessful challenge for the Irish cruiserweight title against Dubliner Ian Tims last March claimed Ciaran Healy priced himself out of a possible September 10th dust-up.
“We contacted Healy’s team a couple of weeks ago to try and organise a fight between myself and Ciaran but they priced themselves out of the fight. To be honest they were looking for ridiculous money to fight me, they wanted a big payday, and they were looking for crazy money, now they are saying we never got back to them but they know exactly why we didn’t”
Sweeney is adamant that there is no way at this stage of making the fight for September 10th but suggests early November as a possibility. Having failed in his attempt to win the cruiserweight title in Citywest last March the popular Ballinrobe fighter is desperate to claim a domestic prize and believes he can achieve his dream against the Belfast champion.
“They were offered the fight six weeks ago and they are only coming back now with three weeks to go, so that’s not going to happen but I am due to fight again in early November and we could fight then if they lower their purse demands. I want to fight Ciaran, I have no doubt I will beat him and win the Irish title, I am the best light heavyweight in this country and I haven’t managed to win the Irish title, it’s as important to me as any title and I will win that belt.”
Champions come at a cost
High Quality Photo
While down to fight on the 10th September at the Hove Town Hall in Brighton, word on a possible European title fight against the German based EBU champion Eduard Gutknecht 22-1 (KO9) would require an immediate change of course for “The Storm”.
“At the moment I am fighting on the 10th of September in Brighton, we are looking to secure someone with a good ranking for that fight, a good test. But there are things going on in the background regarding a possible European title fight. Hopefully we will know for sure early next week if I will be fighting Gutknecht and if the news at that end is good well then there will be a big question mark over September 10th, so things are a little up in the air at the moment but considering im injury free, fit and heading in the right direction I’m not complaining”.
