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Colin O’Donovan promises to take Stephen McAfee’s soul in rematch


Colin O’Donovan [1(1)-1(1)-1] claims he will take Stephen McAfee’s “soul” as well as the BUI Celtic super featherweight title on March 24th.

The straight-talking all-action puncher rematches the Dubliner in a repeat of their six-round war on the Celtic Clash 4 card in December which ended in a 58-58 draw.

Their first clash came from as far left field as you can go, but exploded into an all-Irish small hall classic finishing with an epic toe-to-toe final round that left both boxers bloodied as they traded to a standstill.

The pair’s first meeting was announced so late – confirmation only came during fight week – it left little room for the kind of build up that always whets the appetite for domestic derbies.

That won’t be the case this time around and, while the nature of the first encounter ensures the repeat doesn’t need much in the way of selling, O’Donovan has come out firing in his first interview since the clash was made.

The Cork man is adamant he will win a title that will put in line for an Irish title fight and big fights and will do so in such a fashion he will leave his opponent a broken man.

“This time I’m going to take that title along with his soul,” a confident O’Donovan told Irish-Boxing.com before suggesting he isn’t surprised he is a bill-topper in just his fourth fight.

“Topping a bill was always going to happen. I just needed the chance to get out there and make it happen and I did that. It’s good to be appreciated now.

Going into their Celtic Clash 4 clash, McAfee [2(2)-0-1]was favoured to win. O’Donovan had a loss on his record and had tested the waters fighting away on the B side of a card, while his opponent had raised eyebrows with some eye-catching knockout displays. Not to mention the Cork fighter took the fight at just seven day’s notice while McAfee had been preparing for a fight on the December card.

O’Donovan has plenty of notice this time around and, after cheekily claiming the pairs bloodbath was ‘easier than expected’, has suggested that that will make all the difference when the two go to war again.

“I think it will be a similar fight. The more blood the better,” he continued. “But this time I have will have done a full camp, so winning will be easy. I don’t ever consider losing.”

In the majority of cases, fighters who share a ‘leave it all in the ring’ experience and both ask and answer massive physical questions of each other develop a bond and a massive level of respect for each other. However, if O’Donovan is to be believed there is genuine bad blood between the pair after their entertaining six rounder late last year.

“I didn’t talk to him then and I won’t talk to him again after this fight either,” promised the eccentric Rebel.

The show next month will feature a seven-fight undercard, with Martin Quinn, Niall O’Connor, and debutant Owen Duffy currently confirmed to appear.

Photo Credit: Laszlo Geczo Photography

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