Role reversal – heavyweight world title challenger turned promoter wants Irish talent to fight in Poland
We are more than used to Polish fighters manning away corners in Ireland.
The Poles and many other Eastern Europe fighters have been traveling to Ireland and the UK playing the role of journeymen for many a year.
Now the tables could turn with a big Polish promotional company looking for Irish fighters to populate their shows.
It’s not that Polish promoters are looking for ‘journeyman’ styled opponents, but are interested in pitting their talent against Irish prospects.
It’s something Cork’s Vladimir Belujsky has benefited of late. The ‘Slovak Rebel’ took on a Ukrainian prospect on a high profile Polish show last time out and managed a career boosting stoppage win.
Indeed, the victory is said to have caught the eye of Star Promotions in America – and but for the current pandemic Belujsky would have fought James McGrit Jr in New York last weekend.
Wach Boxing, the promotional outfit that will pit Mariuz Wach and Kevin Johnson against each other on a PPV card come June 12, are hoping to establish an Irish link.
The Polish based promoters, run by recent heavyweight world title challenger Wach, are planning a host of behind closed doors across the summer months and once travel bans are lifted and interested in bringing Irish fighters over to fight.
“As a promotional group Wach boxing team would like to broaden the partnership with Irish boxers as soon as the borders are open again,” Director of Wach Boxing Rafal Biernacki told Irish-boxing.com.
“We have shows scheduled over the coming months and are speaking with Conor Slater about some of his boxers featuring on our cards.
“We consider Ireland to be a great market place; a place where great fighters are trained. We would like to cooperate with them more in the future after the success of Cork super middleweight Belujsky recently fighting on our shows.
“Some of the other fighters we plan on having on our shows from Ireland are also very exciting ones.”
It’s something of a role reversal, but with a lack of shows in Ireland and a record number of professionals, it prove a viable gateway for Irish fighters to get busy relatively quickly.
Not too mention if any of the Irish fighters who agree to fight abroad are high up the card they could manage to secure some career boosting victories.
Irish fighters have benefited similarly from Sam Kynoch’s interest in making Ireland v Scotland fights. Of late the likes of Jay Byrne, Siobhan O’Leary, Keane McMahon and Dylan McDonagh have fought for titles in Scotland.
It would be hard to get the Celtic titles on the line in Poland, but there remains the chance for pay days, activity and wins.
Dylan Moran is another who has branched out recently. The Waterford welter now trains in Liechtenstein, has fought in Austria and has a big fight Germany to look forward to.
