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Ciaran McVarnock hopes to become Arnie’s new Ace ahead of Belfast return

Belfast super featherweight Ciaran McVarnock [5(0)-0-1] is one Irish fighter who has flown somewhat under the radar during his career.

Being based away from Ireland’s fight capital and a stop-start couple of years have left ‘Bunty as one of the Titanic City’s lesser known stars, but the fiery prospect plans for that all to change.

Indeed this change will hopefully be twofold, with shifts on both the training and promotional aspects of his career.

Firstly, the 24 year olds base in Arnie Farnell’s gym in Manchester has seen the amicable departure of star Paul Butler. Additionally, McVarnock’s Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has in recent times signed a bevy of Belfast boxers in Joe Fitzpatrick, Jamie Conlan, and James Tennyson, suggesting that a Belfast homecoming may be in order.

On the situation in Arnie’s Gym, McVarnock told irish-boxing.com that “not much has changed at all.”

“If anything it has made me more eager to become the star in the gym and take Butler’s spot.”

“He was the star that I looked up to as he was at World level.”

“I will miss his sparring and learning from him as he was a great friend also.”

However, the Irishman feels that his training will not be adversely effected, and noted that “there are other guys in the gym that are that level ahead of me so I get great sparring from them and learn from them also.”

“The gym is full of prospects. We all push and work off one another and that’s what’s great about Arnie’s Gym, we are like one big family.”

Giving us his thoughts on a Boxnation/Warren move to Belfast, the Manchester-based starlet explained how “Frank Warren holding a show in Belfast would mean absolutely everything to me.”

Such a show may depend on the result of the British featherweight title scrap this weekend between James Tennyson and Norfolk’s Ryan Walsh, however McVarnoc is confident of an Irish victory, and reasoned that “if James wins the British title, which I hope and believe he will, then it’s a chance for him to bring Frank to Belfast.”

“I sell a lot of tickets and have a big following in Belfast and to fight in front of them would mean so much to me.”

“I’d like to say a massive good luck to James this weekend and hope he gets what he’s going for and that’s the British title.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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