Former European super-bantamweight champion Willie ‘Big Bang’ Casey will return to the ring for the first time since his unanimous decision loss to Andreas Evansen in Denmark in April.
According to Casey’s manager, Chris Graham at Emerald Promotions, the Limerick banger could be in line for a crack at the WBA belt next. Graham is in discussions with WBA supervisor Jesper Jensen to find a suitable opponent for Casey and although he has not picked an opponent he did outline that there are already on number of options on the table.
Casey has been working hard to make his way back up the WBA food chain and despite his recent loss in the featherweight division his manager insists that he is “feeling strong and now has a new confidence,” after sailing into unchartered waters and completing 12 rounds last time out.
Graham also indicated that Willie is feeling on top of the world and that he believes that he can beat anyone in his natural 128lb weight class and that he is ready to “severely punished” anyone standing between him and a world title.
Casey hasn’t yet lived up to the hype that surrounded him after winning Prizefighter two years ago, despite winning a European title. He failed twice in big fights, most notably against Guillermo Rigondeaux when he was stopped in the first round.
But now, he feels he is on the back way up.
“He has been working on different techniques, mostly to improve his defences,” Graham said, “so he is not so easy to catch straight on when he comes forward at opponents.”
Casey will also be getting some quality sparring in, as he travels to Manchester to help Scott Quigg prepare for the WBA Interim clash with stablemate Rendall Munroe.
Quigg has been tipped as a future world champion so the experience will do Casey the world of good as he attempts to become a world champion himself.
There hasn’t been a buzz around Irish boxing for some time now but there are truly exciting times ahead, with Andy Lee fighting for a world crown and Willie Casey rebuilding his career, Ireland may have a world champion by the end of the summer.
According to Graham, Casey will fight either at the end of June or the start of July, possibly on the undercard of a massive in Britain.
