Ormond won’t fight in Dublin as he bids to get winner of Crawford v Gamboa World title fight

DUBLIN fight fans will be disappointed to hear that Stephen Ormond will no longer top a bill in Dublin in July, but that despair will be off set by the news ‘The Rock’ is closing in on a World title shot.

Ormond looked set to defend his WBO European lightweight title against Paul Appleby in the National Stadium on July 25, but his promoter Frank Warren put paid to the home coming as he has bigger plans for the Clondalkin native.

Ormond will now defend his title on the massive Frampton v Martinez II World title fight night in Belfast on September 6 and if he emerges unscathed from his fourth defence he will be in line for the WBO light World title.

Warren is confident he can secure the Celtic Warrior Gym puncher a shot at the winner of Terence Crawford, the Pride of Omaha, and Cuban sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa’s WBO world title fight.

Crawford and Gamboa, who share identical 23-0 (16 KOs) professional ring records, battle for Crawford’s newly-won World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight title this Saturday, June 28 and Team Ormond are hopeful they will secure a shot at the winner.

“It is disappointing Stephen won’t be fighting in Dublin. We had hoped to have a fight here for Stephen’s fans. He has traveled a lot of late and we know they were desperate to see him in action,” Said manager and coach Pascal Collins.

“However Frank said he is going to get Stephen a world title shot and the winner of Crawford versus Gamboa. He wants Stephen to defend his title in September and then he is confident Ormond will get the World title shot he deserves. I am sure Stephen’s and Irish fight fans in general will be delighted with that news.”

Collins’ still plans a Summer show in Dublin and hopes to put out the likes of Luke Keeler, Ian Tims, David McGuire, Sean Turner and Declan Geraghty.