Bernard Dunne has established a world class training camp in Belfast ahead of the biggest night of his boxing life. Dunne challenges for Ricardo Cordoba’s WBA Super Bantamweight title on the Hunky Dorys World Title Fight Night at The O2, Dublin on Saturday, March 21st in what promises to be a huge night for Irish sport..
From nutritionists, to specialist strength and conditioning coaches to world class sparring partners Dunne is determined to leave no stone unturned as he goes in pursuit of the ultimate prize.
The Dubliner’s began his sparring with former European featherweight champ Alberto Servidei, an Italian who is undefeated in 28 pro fights before moving on to former World title challenger and KO specialist William Gonzalez of Nicaragua.
With another two full weeks of sparring left to go Dunne’s trainer Harry Hawkins has been more than happy with his charge’s preparations to date. “Bernard’s been red hot in sparring. Servidei is a very good technical fighter and he was able to mimic Cordoba to a tee. Gonzalez is in at the moment and as well as being very similar in style to Cordoba he has that extra insight because he’s actually fought him so he’s been very helpful on that front.”
While long term trainer Hawkins has been overseeing Dunne’s preparations the former European Champion has made a number of other additions to his training team. Having studied anatomy during a sports scholarship at Trinity College prior to turning pro Dunne has always had a keen interest in the science of sports specific training. He’s taken that one step further for this fight by bringing nutritionists Blue Shinners and Jason Kenny on board to oversee his dietary requirements.
“I’ve been working with Blue and Jason on the nutritional side of things and I’ve found them a great help. Because the training sessions I’m doing are so intense it’s vital that I’m getting the right fuel back in my body so they have been invaluable. They will also have a big impact on the time between the weigh in and when I step in to the ring as it’s very important to re-hydrate in the correct way.”
The nutritionist’s expertise has complimented Dunne’s work with strength and conditioning specialist Mike McGurn who has vast experience working with professional athletes including a stint as the Irish rugby team’s strength and conditioning coach.
“Mike has had a bigger influence then ever before for this fight. I’ve been doing a lot of weights sessions with him but it’s not about bulking up and packing on muscle because at the end of the day I still have to make the 8 stone 10 pound super bantamweight limit.
“What Mike is about is giving me the right type of weight training to increase my power and strength but also adding explosiveness and actually increasing my speed. Mike’s been pushing me hard and I can really find a difference in my boxing at the moment.”
Another component of the Dunne backroom team is Alec Doherty, a Belfast man who has trained a number of mixed martial arts fighters. “Alec has brought some fresh, new ideas. His motto is that if you train like everybody else, you’ll be like everybody else so he’s freshened things up and the work is pretty intense. His sessions are really focused on building a strong core so there’s a lot of abdominal work and he certainly has some innovative and punishing ways of doing it!
“Although we’ve added a lot of components to the team ultimately they are there to compliment my boxing training and not to take away from it. This is my fifth week in camp in Belfast and there are another three to go and even before I got up here I’d been working very hard at home in Dublin. The sessions are draining and intense but there hasn’t been a day yet when I haven’t looked forward to going to the gym so I’m really enjoying it. This is the fight my whole career has been building to so there’s definitely an extra edge to me for this one.”
Dunne’s bid for the WBA Super Bantamweight title headlines a historic night for Irish sport at The O2 that combines the professional and amateur codes. Olympic medallists Kenny Egan and Paddy Barnes are also in action alongside World and European champ Katie Taylor and reigning World Junior champ, Ray Moylette.
The professional side of the bill features unbeaten Cavan star, Andy Murray in a clash with Italy’s Massimiliano Chiofalo for the European Union Lightweight Title while Jim “The Pink Panther” Rock also faces Italian opposition as he takes on Alessio Furlan.
Unbeaten Dundalk prospect Michael Kelly also features with one further amateur and professional fight to be confirmed on the 10 bout event.
Tickets for the Hunky Dorys World Title Fight Night are priced from €50 and are available now from Ticketmaster (phone 0818 719 300 or visit ticketmaster.ie). Tickets are also available from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.
Team USA Prepared to Battle Ireland’s Best in Dual Action on Friday, February 27 in Dublin
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The United States’ top boxers arrived in Ireland on Wednesday, following a week-long training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 12-person squad will face off in the first of two duals with the host country on Friday, February 27 at the National Stadium in Dublin. The second dual will be contested on Sunday, March 1 at the Arch Centre Athy in Kildare, Ireland.
Ireland recently selected its roster for the first dual event following their national championships, which concluded on February 20. Led by team captain and 2008 light heavyweight Olympic silver medalist Ken Egan (Ireland), the team boasts three 2008 Olympians, including two medalists. In addition to Egan, light flyweight Paddy Barnes (Ireland) took home a bronze medal from China. Egan will battle the United States’ Siju Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.) while Barnes faces Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.). Bantamweight representative John Joe Nevin (Ireland) joined Egan and Barnes in Beijing, and will challenge Team USA’s Ernesto Garza. On the women’s side, two-time world champion Katie Taylor (Ireland) will represent the host team in her bout with Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.).
Newly crowned Irish flyweight national champion Declan Geraghty will face two-time Olympian and reigning World Champion Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) while fellow Olympian Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) will battle Ireland’s Carl Frampton. U.S. Olympic Team Trials super heavyweight champion Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) will take on Anthony Crampton of Ireland.
Lightweight Carl Frampton, lightweight Ross Hickey, light welterweight Phillip Sutcliffe, welterweight Willie McLoughlin, middleweight Darren O’Neill and heavyweight Con Sheehan will complete the Irish roster.
On the United States side, lightweight Eric Fowler (Montgomery, Texas); light welterweight Charles Watson (Johnson City, Tenn.); welterweight Javontae Starks (Minneapolis, Minn.) and heavyweight Paul Koon (Philadelphia, Pa.) will round out the team competing in dual action.
The team will be led by coaches Hal Chernoff (Fruitland, Md.); Ray Velez (Ridgewood, N.Y.) and Ken Buffington (Marshalltown, Iowa). Richard Trindle (Mercer, Pa.) will serve as Team Manager for the event with Larry Ferebee (Lynchburg, Va.) and Tom Cleary (Cincinnati, Ohio) working as AIBA officials and Dr. John Denker (Portland, Ore.) joining the squad as the Team Physician. Mike Stafford (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Sankara Frazier (Minneapolis, Minn.) assisted the three coaches during the team’s training camp in Colorado Springs.
The 2009 USA vs. Ireland Dual is the first competition between the two countries since November of 2005 when the two nations faced off in a three-nation event in Cleveland, Ohio. The international competition is the first trip to Ireland for a U.S. team since the multi-nations tournament in 2003. The 2009 USA vs. Ireland Dual is the first senior level competition to which the United States has sent a full team to since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Team USA
106 lbs: Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo.
112 lbs: Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio (Two-time Olympian)
119 lbs: Ernie Garza, Saginaw, Mich.
125 lbs: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio (2008 Olympian)
132 lbs: Eric Fowler, Montgomery, Texas
141 lbs: Charles Watson, Johnson City, Tenn.
152 lbs: Javontae Starks, Minneapolis, Minn.
165 lbs: Aleem Whitfield, Geneva, N.Y.
178 lbs: Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M.
201 lbs: Paul Koon, Philadelphia, Pa.
201+ lbs: Michael Hunter, Las Vegas, Nev.
Team Ireland
106 lbs: Paddy Barnes (2008 Olympic bronze medalist)
112 lbs: Declan Geraghty
119 lbs: John Joe Nevin (2008 Olympian)
125 lbs: Carl Frampton
132 lbs: Ross Hickey
141 lbs: Philip Sutcliffe
152 lbs: Willie McLoughlin
165 lbs: Darren O’Neill
178 lbs: Ken Egan (2008 Olympic silver medalist)
201 lbs: Con Sheehan
201+ lbs: Anthony Crampton
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.