TV3 will broadcast the Big Time Boxing show live from 9.15pm on Saturday July 5th from the National Basketball Arena, Dublin. Top of the bill is the clash between Irish Light-middleweight champion Ciaran Healy (8-7, 2 KO) and world rated gladiator Jamie Moore (29-3, 20 KO). Ciaran Healy is relishing the biggest opportunity of his career..
Jamie Moore (29-3, 20 KO):
The Salford-born gladiator needs no introduction to the hardcore boxing fraternity.
The 29-year-old southpaw is the former British and Commonwealth light-middleweight champion. He relinquished his belts in December in order to fight for the European title, for which he is the No.1 contender.
He will face Zaurbek Baysangurov in September for the European belt. Online boxing bible Boxrec rates Jamie as the No.7 light-middleweight in the world.
Jamie qualifies for the Irish title through his Kilkenny-born mother Bernadette Cleary and he is especially proud of his links to the hurling village of Tullaroan in the county.
He will become the first man in history to have held Irish, British and Commonwealth titles if victorious tonight.
He became the first man in more than 100 years to bring a Lonsdale (British) title back to Salford when he beat champion Michael Jones at only five days notice in 2003.
His thrilling style meant he was involved in the fight of the year in both 2005 and 2006.
In a third match with Michael Jones in 2005 (he was disqualified controversially in their second fight, much to the crowd’s disgust), Jamie climbed off the canvas to stop his opponent in a frenzied six-round affair.
In October 2006, he knocked out good friend Matthew Macklin in the tenth round after one of the most explosive fights in British history.
However he has become the man to avoid in world boxing because of his fearsome reputation – no world champion has dared offer him a title shot. Jamie hopes his appearance on TV3 with Tommy Egan Promotions will make the world, and not just the boxing fans, notice that they have a potential global star ready, willing and able to take on the very best.
Ciaran Healy (8-7-1, 2 KO):
The Belfast native comes to the ring as Irish champion after he defeated Lee Murtagh at the Kings Hall in December.
It was a career-best performance for the likeable 33-year old and was considered a minor upset. Healy won with a fifth-round knockout.
Ciaran boxed Andy Lee on the Limerickman’s first professional fight last August.
He gave the highly-fancied Lee a real fight before retiring at the end of the fourth round.
Ciaran fights out of the highly-respected camp of Eamonn Corbett and is on record as saying the fight against Jamie Moore is the biggest of his life.
He has trained like never before and a victory would propel him into the British and Commonwealth title scene.
A latecomer to the professional scene, Ciaran made his debut against Tomaz Da Silva in 2003, winning a decision over four rounds.
The 5 ft 11 in Healy will not lie down for Jamie Moore and is determined to hold onto his treasured Irish light-middleweight title.
Kiko Martinez (18-1, 14 KO):
Little was known about La Sensacion before he obliterated the dreams of Irish crowd favourite Bernard Dunne in an 86-second demolition last August.
There had been rumours for years about a mini-Mike Tyson who was knocking out opponents for fun in Alicante.
However, nobody expected super-bantamweight Kiko to throw Dunne’s world title aspirations into disarray.
He stalked the European champion from the opening bell and the air of menace was palpable.
After two knockdowns, the referee stopped the contest as Dunne went to his knees again.
As the new European champion, Kiko elected to fight Nottingham’s Rendall Munroe for his first defence in March. It was his 22nd birthday but there would be no happy ending.
Strangely listless – it was later discovered he was ill before the fight – Kiko let his opponent off the hook after a fast start.
Munroe wisely kept out of reach all night and peppered Kiko with jabs on his way to a split decision victory.
Kiko is still the mandatory challenger for his old title, and if he gets past Lante Addy tonight, he should fight Munroe before the autumn is out. Kiko is adamant it will be a far different outcome.
Bernard Dunne in a rematch on TV3 is the fight that Kiko and manager Pat Magee want if he regains his European title.
Lante Addy (5-1, 3 KO):
Little is known about the Ghanaian native except that he comes to fight.
He won his first five contests in his home country before taking a major step up in class against Jason “Too Smooth” Booth for the Commonwealth title in March.
Those who thought it was a total mismatch were proved wrong as Addy produced a performance of great courage before surrendering to a points decision loss.
Booth was effusive in his praise after the contest for Addy’s willingness to come and trade punches.
Addy has proved his courage in taking the fight with the fearsome Martinez and is sure to have the fans’ respect after the fight as he did in Britain after the Booth showing.
Lante’s willingness to go to war means we may have an explosive fight while it lasts.
Paulie Hyland (10-0, 4 KO)
Tallaght’s own Paulie Hyland will create history in Irish sport tonight if he is successful in his bid for the vacant Irish super-bantamweight title.
If victorious, he will join his brothers Eddie and Patrick as Irish champions.
Eddie is the super-featherweight champion and Patrick the featherweight champion.
Never before have three brothers simultaneously held Irish titles.
23-year-old Paulie has been champing at the bit for his Irish title opportunity and showed his class in totally outboxing Ayittey Mettle in his last outing in April.
Paulie has been victorious in all his ten contests, fighting in Ireland, Britain and America.
He is taking a step up in class tonight against Marc Callaghan but insists he is relishing the chance to make Irish history.
The people of Tallaght already worship the Hyland heroes, and Paulie will become part of the area’s folklore if successful.
Marc Callaghan (19-14, 4 KO):
The 29-year-old Callaghan has a deceptive record. His loss column looks high until further scrutiny suggests he has been in with the very best in Britain.
He holds some very impressive victories, the most high-profile being the win over Ian “Dappa” Napa, the current British bantamweight champion and crowd favourite.
Marc has been in some excellent fights over the years.
He holds victories over established names such as Sean Hughes, Ian Napa, Andrew Ferrans. He also drew with the excellent Michael Hunter early in Hunter’s career.
Marc has been in with seasoned campaigners in current European champ Rendall Munroe, Jackson Asiku, John Simpson, Jamie McKeever, Roy Rutherford, Michael Hunter(twice), Dazzo Williams, Esham Pickering and in his last fight, dazzling Irish prospect Martin Lindsay.
His CV is an impressive read.
Patrick Hyland (12-0, 6 KO):
The extremely talented Patrick Hyland is fighting here tonight knowing he produced the greatest victory of his career in April.
The Tallaght featherweight, who is 24, was the talk of Irish boxing after dismantling former European amateur star and Dublin favourite Paul Griffin.
Patrick put on an exhibition of clinical boxing in the Irish featherweight contest and some of the skills he displayed that glorious night were absolutely scintillating.
He has twelve straight victories and like brothers Eddie and Paulie, has boxed all over the world.
He warmed up for his fight tonight with Geoffrey Munika by knocking out Robin Deakin in five rounds in May.
Like his brothers, Patrick has the movie-star looks and appearance but has all the talent in the world to back it up.
Tallaght’s superstar will be looking for a good victory tonight to propel him to European glory in the near future.
Geoffrey Munika (16-10-1, 8 KO):
Nobody has to tell Geoffrey to come forward and trade punches. Every time he steps in that ring, he is aggressive and eager to win.
Never more so was it more evident after taking on British favourite Ashley Theophane only weeks ago. Geoffrey wowed the fans in attendance with his bravery until he lost by a points decision after six rounds.
He upset the applecart only last week by holding English prospect Lee Purdy to a draw. Those in attendance were surprised by how game and confident Geoffrey was.
He could have told fans themselves that he is not in it for the quick payday – he always, always comes to fight.
Uzbekistan favourite Alisher Rahimov was taken all the way to the scorecards when he was predicted to win easily against Geoffrey last July.
Polish world title contender Matt Zegan was thrown off course after a tougher than expected victory over Geoffrey and he promptly lost his three contests after, ruining his chances of world glory.
Geoffrey has no qualms about upsetting Tallaght favourite Patrick Hyland tonight.
Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (3-0, 3 KO):
You know you have a special talent on your hands when promoter, manager and TV3 call a fighter one of the most frightening talents seen in Ireland for years.
23-year-old Spike has blown away all three opponents in his first three contests. Footage available shows a man with the strength of a bull and power in both fists to back it up.
The light-middleweight has a dedication to training like no other – his chiselled torso is testament to that.
Spike comes from one of the most respected boxing families on Cork. His family run the fabled amateur gym in Mahon where even his mother Jacinta is a qualified coach.
Manager Paschal Collins, brother of former two-time world champion Steve, has said he hasn’t seen a man so ruthless in his execution for years.
Already building up a huge following back home in Cork, TV3 and promoter Tommy Egan are convinced Spike is a future world champion.
He stopped Peter Dunn in his debut, a feat that only eleven men have managed 112 contests.
To put it in perspective, Dunn has not been stopped in eight contests since and had not been stopped in more than 40 fights before he fell to Spike.
The bone-chilling light-middleweight is so boxing-mad, he took Evander for his confirmation name in honour of the former heavyweight champion of the world.
Eugene Stan (4-38, 1 KO):
His record may be poor but closer inspection reveals Eugene Stan does not get stopped or knocked out.
The teak-tough Romanian has been in with some of the best prospects in the world and not one has been able to put him away.
The man has a chin of iron – if his talent matched his chin, he would have been one of the greatest champions in history.
French prospect Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam could not do it in April, former world title contender and knockout artist Diosbelys Hurtado couldn’t manage it in March and Ireland’s own superstar Paul McCloskey was forced to go the distance last year.
Every hard-hitting prospect in countries around Europe has had a crack at finding a way through the granite that is Eugene’s chin.
If Gary O’Sullivan manages tonight, we know that we have seen a boxing miracle.
Jonathan O’Brien (8-2-1, 3 KO):
The Thunderbolt has always been known as a crowd pleaser. The Dublin-born and bred cruiserweight is coming to Tallaght tonight on the back of a five-fight winning streak. He is undefeated since 2001.
He has fought in America and Ireland and Britain and is always known as good value for the boxing public.
He can really punch given the chance, and gave poor Peter Bonson a torrid time on route to victory in Cork in January.
Anghel Florin (1-0 1 KO):
The Romanian prospect went to France for his debut last month and promptly knocked out opponent Cedric Mayer in the first round.
Not much is known about Florin so Jon O’Brien will have to be on full alert.
As seen by his debut, Anghel is not afraid to come to someone else’s hometown and take the fight to them. A knockout away from home in a debut contest demands respect.
Michael Sweeney (4-0-1, 2 KO):
Michael Sweeney is a born fighter. He is rough, ready and willing to fight. He is already beginning to create a buzz in his native Mayo and his contest against Klaids Kristapsons in December was a true crowd pleaser.
Michael could not have better guidance.
He is trained by a true legend of Irish sport, Sean Mannion from Ros Muc, who went 15 rounds with the fearsome Bodysnatcher Mike McCallum in 1984 for the light-middleweight championship of the world.
Stan Catalin (0-2)
Stan Catalin has been inactive since 2007 so his break off may have invigorated his desire to get back in the ring.
He has had only two contests, both of which ended in defeat, but one was against the highly-rated Belgian cruiserweight Geoffrey Batello who has a perfect record of 16-0, 13 KOs.
Stan fought Batello in only his second fight, whereas Batello had already fought ten.