Promoter Dunlop hints at Fitzpatrick v McCrory clash

Belfast promoter Mark Dunlop will run the first Irish show of 2017 in less than three weeks time, and it could serve as a prelude to a battle of the prospects down the line.

The ‘Inquisition’ card at the Europa Hotel on Saturday February 4th features two young lightweight southpaw starlets – Joe Fitzpatrick and Feargal McCrory – and Dunlop has hinted that they may share the ring in the future.

2014 Commonwealth silver medalist Fitzpatrick [6(4)-0] is signed to Dunlop, while the hugely popular McCrory has featured on the past two MHD Promotions cards.

The card next month sees 22 year old Fitzpatrick make the step up to six rounds. The Divis puncher had a real step up last Summer against Jordan Ellison before claiming a scrappy win, admittedly on very short notice, against Hungarian Gyula Tallosi in November.

Now fit and ready to move up in rounds, ‘The Dragon’ faces another Hungarian, Tamas Laska [15(7)-12(5)], on the dinner show at the swanky hotel.

On paper the Central European should not pose any problems to Fitzpatrick, however Dunlop notes that the 20 year old will hold some inside information on the Belfast prospect and is coming to win.

The promoter outlined how “Laska – who has taken some good prospects the distance including former EU champion Samir Kasmi – knows all about Fitzpatrick and fancies the job having seen first hand his proposed opponent taken the distance by stablemate Gyula Tallosi in Dublin early last November.”

The aforementioned Tallosi [12(8)-17(8)] faces McCrory in what will be the Coalisland prospect’s final four rounder ahead of a headline appearance on the Kieran Farrell Promotions April 22nd show at the Devenish Complex. McCrory returns from an injury that saw him miss out on the November Dublin show.

While Fitzpatrick was not firing on all cylinders when he faced Tallosi, the bout with 24 year old McCrory still offers an opportunity for comparison. Dunlop acknowledges this, and explained how ‘Fearless’ Feargal “is well aware that, if he can do a better job than Fitzpatrick did, then it could spiral into dust up between himself and the Belfast lightweight down the line.”

A bout between Fitzpatrick and McCrory, potentially for the BUI Celtic Title, is one which Irish-Boxing.com has been suggesting for quite some time, and it is encouraging to see such a clash mentioned positively.

Also set to feature on the Paul Hyland Jr-topped card next month are Dublin duo Jay Byrne and Lynn Harvey, along with entertaining Scot Ronnie Clark.

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Tickets for Inquisition are priced at:
£75.00 (VIP Ringside – Including 4 course meal)
£45.00 Reserved Ringside
£35.00 Unreserved

These can be bought from the boxers (recommended) or by phoning +447712 473905

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Joe O’Neill and Gavan Casey look ahead to 2017 in episode 1 of The Irish Boxing Show