This lunch-time promoter Brian Peters will hold a press conference in King John’s Castle where Casey will be unveiled as the latest challenger to Spain’s Kiko Martinez.
On Saturday night Martinez out-pointed Armenian Arsen Martirosyan to win the European super-bantamweight title.
It is understood that the title fight will take place in the University Sports Arena on Saturday, November 6.
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 has 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 on Saturday night to see Martinez’s latest win and afterwards was confident that he could challenge the Spaniard.
“That’s the plan,” said Willie Casey.
“We are hoping we will get a shot at him (Martinez) soon. Hopefully it will be this year. I did not see anything there that would scare me. That’s the thing with me, I don’t fear anyone. Most of his opponents fear him (Martinez) and that is why he is beating them. I am hoping that boxing an Irish opponent in Ireland will give it that bit of excitement that was missing Saturday night and I think the people would want to see that fight. They know his style, they know my style. It would be a great fight to watch,” said the Limerick man.
“I am ranked number nine in Europe and that makes me eligible for a shot at the title. Who’d imagine after only 10 fights as a pro - not even two years yet - that I would be here now talking of a European title fight.
“Paulie Hyland is there as well and one of us will get a shot at it, but I think my fight would be the more exciting,” said the Southill man.
A former Irish intermediate featherweight 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.
A married father of four Willie Casey shot to fame in May when winning Sky TV’s Prizefighter Series. Casey only made his pro debut in October 2008 and brings a record of 10 wins from 10 bouts into the title fight.
His opponent Kiko ‘La Sensacion’ Martinez is best known for his first round stoppage of Bernard Dunne in their 2007 title fight in Dublin’s Point Theatre.
Twenty-four-year-old Martinez has won 23 of his 26 pro-fight since his debut in 2004.
Meanwhile, another of Limerick’s pro-boxers Andy Lee is back in the ring this weekend.
The 26-year-old Castleconnell middleweight fights Michael Walker at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago this Friday, September 17 in a ten-round contest.
JEROME O’CONNELL
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment