Limerick’s University Sports Arena on Saturday, November 6.
The first-ever championship fight in Limerick will take place as part of the Hunky Dorys Fight Night which is being promoted by Brian Peters Promotions.
“I’m very proud to be a Limerick man today. I am honoured and I will train hard,” said Willie Casey at this Monday’s press conference in King John’s Castle in Limerick to announce details of the November fight which will be televised live on RTE.
“It makes sense to have this fight on in Limerick. It is only this time last year that I had my first fight in Limerick and I got great support for that. What better way to be back in Limerick again than to be fighting for a European title,” explained the married father of four.
Willie Casey has had his sights set on a European title fight since he extended his record to ten wins from ten bouts in early August.
The 28-year-old Southill man moved up to number nine in the Euro rankings following his last win over Italian Emiliano Salvini in an eight round super bantamweight contest when he headlined a Dolphil Promotions event in Dublin’s City-West Hotel Complex.
Willie Casey was in the National Stadium, Dublin last Saturday night to see Martinez’s latest win when he out-pointed Armenian Arsen Martirosyan to win the European super bantamweight title.
“It is going to be a 50-50 fight,” said Casey of his 12-round contest against the 24-year-old Spaniard.
“There are only 14 people ever in Ireland to have won it and no one from Limerick has done it,” said Willie Casey of the prospect of a European title.
“Hopefully, everything will go according to plan. I am very excited about it. To be honest I would rather it was on next week rather than waiting eight weeks for it. I’ve never been more excited about fighting than I have for this fight.”
A former Irish intermediate featherweight amateur champion Casey is a former member of Our Lady of St. Saviour Boxing Club.
Nicknamed the ‘Big Bang’ Casey’s management team consists of former Olympian and double European championship bronze medal winner Phil Sutcliffe and Don O’Leary.
Casey is hoping to inspire others to follow his lead.
“I want to show everyone what can be done, especially the people in disadvantaged areas in Limerick who get involved with drugs and gangs and trouble. Southill is in the papers a lot of the time for a lot of the wrong reasons like trouble and gangs. I am trying to bring something new to the area and the kids, to show them that they can go on and do something, if it’s not boxing, it could be soccer or anything at all. My hope is that they would follow my lead,” he explained.
Casey shot to fame in May when winning Sky TV’s Prizefighter Series and although he only made his pro debut in October 2008 he will bring a record of ten wins from ten bouts into the title fight.
“I am trying not to get carried away with all the press and media and everything. I am still the same Willie Casey as I was before I started out.
“I am still living in Southill and I am still a member of the Travelling Community and I never try to hide anything of myself or where I am from or who I am.”
Willie Casey’s opponent Kiko ‘La Sensacion’ Martinez is best known for his first round stoppage of Bernard Dunne in their 2007 title fight at Dublin’s Point Theatre.
“What happened to Bernard Dunne can happen to anyone, when you get hit in the right place at the right time you are going down,” said Casey.
He promises that the November fight is “going to be one to remember.”
“He might be unbeaten in Dublin, but he hasn’t fought in Limerick yet,” joked Casey.
“I’ll be looking to take some of that Munster spirit into the ring with me. I’m just so excited about this fight and to have a chance to win a European title right here in Limerick. I might be the underdog, but I’ve been an underdog since I turned professional and I’m sure the whole city will come out to support me. Not too many gave me a chance when I went out to Canada to fight the Canadian champ, but I knocked him out. Not too many people gave me a chance when I went into the Prizefighter, but I ended up winning that as well,” he said.
“I know all about Kiko, everyone in Ireland knows about him because of his win over Bernard Dunne and he is a big hitter, but they don’t call me the Big Bang for nothing either. I was at Kiko’s fight in Dublin on Saturday night and he’s an excellent fighter, but people haven’t seen the best of me yet. I’m still learning and improving in the gym every day. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I’m determined to grab it with both hands.”
Tickets for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night will go on sale from 9am on Friday, October 1 from www.ticketmaster.ie or 0818 719300.
Jerome O’Connell
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