Opponent confirmed for Mathew Fitzsimons comeback

Mathew Fitzsimons [2(2)-0] will make his long awaited return to the ring next month, and the Belfast super featherweight will be faced with a career-best opponent.

The rangey power-puncher makes his return on the inaugural Kieran Farrell Promotions Belfast show – ‘A New Era’ – at The Devenish Complex on the Finaghy Road.

Here the Immanuel Boxing Academy youngster will face Ghanaian Michael Barnor [14(10)-9(6)-2].

The 31 year old is a two-time Ghanaian bantamweight title challenger (losing once to former Carl Frampton foe Prosper Ankrah). He has also fought four times for rankings belts from the major organisations, including a close ten round loss to hot prospect Woo Hyun Kim in Korea.

Most notably though for Irish fans, Barnor was in Belfast at The Devenish earlier this month to take on Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh. In what was an odd fight, the African seemed to have footwear issues, and spent the entirety of the bout slipping around the canvas, looking to spoil, and being put down by McCullagh one en-route to a points loss.

For inexperienced pro Fitzsimons, who is still only 20 years old and coming off 19 months of inactivity, Barnor presents an encouragingly tough comeback bout.

The card is co-headlined by an eight round fight between Tyrone’s Feargal McCrory and Liverpudlian Jay Carney, as well as a return to the ring for Mike Perez. In addition there are also slots Joe Fitzpatrick, Sean Higginson, Ger Healy, Mark Morris, Dan McShane, Sean McGlinchey, Sean Magee, and Ronnie Clark.

Contact the fighters involved or Kieran Farrell for tickets,
£50.00 Ringside
£35.00 Unreserved Seating
£20.00 Unreserved Standing