Clean Sweep – Tommy McCarthy in line to make more Irish boxing history on Saturday

Tommy McCarthy [18(9)-2(1)] can make more Irish boxing history in Fight Camp this Saturday.

‘The Mac Attack’ became Ireland’s fifteenth but first-ever black European Champion when he defeated Bilal Laggoune to claim the famous blue step back in October of last year.

It was a nice piece of legacy affirming history for a fighter who isn’t one for histrionics. The Belfast fighter can add to his list of accolades this coming weekend when he takes on Chris Billam-Smith [12(10)-1] in Matchroom Headquarters live on DAZN.

As well as ‘Big Tommy’s’ European cruiserweight title, Billiam-Smith’s British strap is up for grabs, as to is the British title in the out-of-the-blue grudge match.

It means the 30-year-old Mark Dunlop managed fighter has the chance to become the fifth Irish fighter to win the ‘triple crown’, the first to do it at cruiserweight – and a win would also make the Oliver Plunkets graduate Ireland’s second-ever cruiserweight Commonwealth champion after Darren Corbett.

In terms of winning the ‘triple crown’, British, Commonwealth and European titles, McCarthy would join a distinguished list, which includes his promotional and managerial stablemate.

Legends like Rinty Monaghan and Freddie Gilroy achieved the feat as did Damaen Kelly and McCarthy’s stablemate James Tennyson.

Speaking about the possibility of collecting all three belts McCarthy said: “That will cement my legacy in boxing. There aren’t too many people in Ireland who have done the clean sweep, my stablemate James Tennyson, he’s done it. It will be great for me and the Mark Dunlop team to have two boxers who have done the clean sweep.”

Photo Credit Mark Robinson/Matchroom