Irish news round-up by Steve Wellings Jan 4th 2008

BBN's Irish correspondent Steve Wellings gives a brief round up of news from the Emerald Isle. The Neptune Sports Arena in Cork has a show pencilled in for 26 January as James Gorman aims to put his latest defeat behind him and step up in weight to challenge for the Irish welterweight belt. Gorman lost a bizarre decision to Andrew Murray for the light-welterweight version on the recent John Duddy card as the score totals were taken into effect despite only three rounds having been completed. He has a big edge in experience on named opponent Billy Walsh who is only 4-0 and has yet to meet a fighter with a winning record. Heavyweight prospect Scott Belshaw may make his return on the card after a serious car injury last summer threatened to end his career while Pat Hyland looks to keep active after his last fight was scrapped as part of the aborted Wayne McCullough ignominy. Andy Lee is keeping busy in the New Year as he fights in his adopted hometown of Limerick against an opponent yet to be named. Lee won the Irish super-middleweight crown against Banbridge battler Jason McKay in December and will next headline in a ten rounder on 2nd February. Ciaran Healy fresh from a career best win over Lee Murtagh will also feature alongside Matthew Macklin, Paul McCloskey and Jason McKay as he looks to rebuild towards a Commonwealth title shot. Brian Peters will promote the show. Colin Moffett won the vacant Irish bantamweight crown on that previously mentioned December card with a stirring eighth round knockout of unbeaten Eugene Heagney in a rematch. Heagney had won the first clash and now a rubber match is being talked up by Irish Ropes boss Eddie McLaughlin who was impressed with the display of both men. McLaughlin thinks it would make a sure fire winner with the New York fans on a Madison Square Garden undercard in the future.

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