Paul Ryan Claims Team O’Neill are Saving him from Getting ‘Butchered’

Paul Ryan believes Mark Dunlop is protecting Owen O’Neill from getting ‘butchered’.

The Dublin light middle claims he has twice offered to fight the Belfast fighter only for the offers to be rebuffed by his new promoter – and he claims he understands why.

The Pete Taylor trained European underage medal winner is adamant he’d stop the more experienced Dee Walsh trained fighter and claims ‘The Operator’s’ team knows as much.

“When Mark first announced Owen was on the Summer Brawl show we made an offer straight away which they said no to, as it was Owen’s first 6 rounder,” he tells Irish-boxing.com

“Then when he won we made the offer again and the response was they had ‘other plans’.”

Dunlop may point out Ryan’s Team haven’t offered a purse just their services as an O’Neill opponent on an MHD Show. The experienced fight maker may also suggest a plan that didn’t involve the Dub was put in place when he signed the Belfast fighter.

O’Neill, who should see the call out as a compliment and take it as proof he is in a very strong position, has been open about wanting to get Ulster Intermediate final revenge over Dominic Donegan and rumour has that as his next fight.

However, Ryan is still keen but not hopeful claiming the Dunlop won’t put his fighters head on the chopping block.

“I’m not sure if Owen wants it, he hasn’t acknowledged the call out, which says it all but Mark Dunlop wouldn’t allow it anyway, Owen is a popular bloke up North and a decent ticket seller so Mark would hardly send a good ticket seller out to get butchered.

“I’d still like to fight him,” he says. Why not run it for the BUI Celtic? As far as I’m aware it’s vacant and Owens 8 round eligible as am I,” he adds before giving a prediction.

“I think I stop him pretty early probably less than 3 rounds.”