Irish Heavyweight Champion Coleman Barrett has thrown down the gauntlet to any prospective challengers and says he wants to be a busy champion.
Barrett certainly has a busy schedule ahead of him having been added to the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at The National Stadium, Dublin on Saturday, September 11. Barrett will feature in a non title contest on the card which features a European title double header with Belfast’s Brian Magee defending his European Super Middleweight crown against Roman Aramian while Kiko “La Sensación” Martinez also returns to Dublin as he bids to recapture the European Super Bantamweight crown against Arsen Martirosyan.
Should he come through that assignment then Barrett will make a quick return to action on Saturday, October 2nd on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at The Aura, Letterkenny when Paul McCloskey tops the bill as he defends his European Light Welterweight title against Scotland’s Barry Morrison.
Barrett though is keen for more Irish title action having won the vacant belt back in February when he got up off the floor to outpoint Colin Kenna. “I was happy with the result obviously and very proud to lift the Irish title but I wasn’t one bit happy with my performance against Kenna,” revealed the Galway southpaw.
“My defence was rubbish and I made a lot of mistakes in that fight but aside from the knockdown in the second round I won it fairly comfortably but I know I’m capable of a lot better than that. A busy fighter is a happy fighter and these fights in Dublin and Letterkenny will give me an opportunity to show some of the things I have been working on in the gym. I’ve been getting some good sparring in with John McDermott for this fight in Dublin so I feel sharp and ready to go.”
Beyond his next two fights Barrett is eyeing up possible Irish title defences against the likes of Belfast’s former Commonwealth Champ, Martin Rogan, Mike Tyson’s conqueror Kevin McBride and unbeaten duo Ian Tims and Declan Timlin.
“The Irish heavyweight scene was a bit of a ghost town for a while but things are definitely heating up again and I know there are quite a few guys out there eyeing up my title,” said Barrett. “Obviously Martin Rogan is due back from injury soon and it will be great to have him back on the scene and I wish him the best but I don’t want to sit around waiting when there are some good defences out there for me. I won’t be avoiding anyone, I’ll beat whoever is put in front of me and I want to keep the Irish title active because before I won it it hadn’t been fought for 13 years.”
High on Barrett’s list of target is the previous holder of the Irish title Kevin McBride who will return to action in the U.K. next month in the next Prizefighter event with the big man from Clones having campaigned exclusively in the U.S. for the last 12 years.
“Kevin’s back on the scene here now and I’m sure he’ll give the Prizefighter a good go,” said Barrett who reached a Prizefighter final himself in 2009 before losing out to Audley Harrison in what remains the only defeat of his career. “To be fair to Kevin he never lost the title in the ring so I’d have no problem giving him an opportunity. He’s a big, strong man and of course he made his name sending Mike Tyson into retirement so that would be a good fight for Irish boxing fans.
“I don’t care who I fight but I want to keep the title busy. I’m willing to defend it against anyone who is looking to challenge me for it be that Rogan, McBride or guys like Ian Tims and Declan Timlin. I want to clean up in Ireland and then take the next step forward onto European level but that’s all for the future. First things first is my fight on Saturday week in Dublin and then the fight in Letterkenny and hopefully they will sharpen me up but you can never look too far ahead in this game so I won’t be taking my eye off the ball.”
While Barrett won’t be defending his title on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at The National Stadium there will be Irish title action as Dubliner’s Anthony Fitzgerald and Robbie Long square off in a highly anticipated rubber match with Fitzgerald’s Irish Super Middleweight title at stake.
The card also features the undefeated Cork based Cuban trio of Alexei Acosta, Luis Garcia and Mike Perez while reigning EU and Irish Super Bantamweight Champion Paul Hyland will also be in action as looks to press his claims for a shot at the winner of the Kiko Martinez – Arsen Martirosyan. Hyland’s fellow Dubliner’s Gavin Prunty and Brendan Fitzpatrick complete the card.
Tickets for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night priced €40, €75 and €100 are available from Ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300 or the National Stadium on 087 2511772, the Ticket Office on 086 8120135 or the boxers on the bill.
September 2, 2010
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