Byrne: I would love to fight McDonagh for Irish title on July 4

DEAN Byrne wants to fight for the Irish welterweight title and says he would fight Peter McDonagh for the strap in Dublin on July 4.

Stephen Haughian is the current custodian of the strap, but hasn’t defended it since 2009 and it is a title Irish Lightening has set his sights on.

Byrne thinks McDonagh considering his connections to MGM Marbella would provide perfect opposition for the title on the July 4 National Stadium hosted show. The ‘Connemara Kid’ has been two weight Irish champion winning the title at both lightweight and light middleweight and the Dublin hopes he would like the to collected a third.

Byrne has a bout with an undefeated Russian on June 26 and a bout would come to quick, but Byrne told Irish-boxing.com he would be more than willing to fight McDonagh a week later.

“I would love to fight for the Irish title,” said Byrne. ‘I saw McDonagh after my fight on Saturday in the dressing rooms and I told him we should fight for the strap. If I knock out this Russian on June 26 I would fight him on July 4, why not? It is a chance to become champion of Ireland on a TV show. Peter knows I am interested so we just have to wait and see what his team say.”