Kristina O’Hara McCafferty closes in on historic European title shot

Kristina O’Hara McCafferty is just one win away from a historic European title shot.

The Belfast minimumweight has been handed an eliminator for the prestigious blue belt and will fight for the right to challenge for the strap on a Queensberry show on June 7.

The Commonwealth Games silver medal winner doesn’t yet know who she’ll share the ring with but is well aware of what is on offer.

Secure a win on TNT Sports in just over five weeks and the 28-year-old will move into European contention.

There is no European champion at minimumweight but former super flyweight challenger Ewelina Pekalska is mandatory and, thus would be the one waiting for the St John Bosco graduate if she wins next month.

O’Hara McCafferty would be comfortable competing at light fly and flyweight, and if she is to go those routes, it would put her in the mix with the winner of Giorgia Scolartri – Silvia Bignami or Chloe Watson – Maisey Rose Courtney’s respective European title fights.

If the Gerard McCafferty trained Frank Warren promoted fighter was to win the EBU strap she’d by Ireland’s first female blue strap holder.

Overall she would be the country’s 16th European champion following in the footsteps of Freddie Gilroy, Carl Frampton, Bernard Dunne, Barry McGuigan and the like.

The bout will be the Queensberry fighter’s first this year and the fact a Belfast favourite competes on June 7 will prompt some to query whether a Warren fight night rumoured for the city this summer is a runner.