Tims set for debut – Press Release

March 2008

Four-time Irish amateur champion Ian Tims is ready to make his mark in the pro ranks. The hard-hitting Dubliner will make his paid debut on the Ladrokes.com Fight Night at the National Stadium on March 22. Headlining the bill is the much-anticipated middleweight clash between Irish middleweight champ Matthew Macklin and former World Champion Yory Boy Campas. However Tims debut will create a stir of it’s own as one of Ireland’s leading amateurs in recent years looks to make the switch to the professional code.

The Clondalkin native won back-to-back Irish senior heavyweight titles in 2006 and 2007 having successfully made the transition from light heavyweight. Now he’s hoping for further success as a pro. “I think the professional game will suit me even more than the amateurs because of the longer distance,” said Tims. “Often when the final bell went in my fights I felt like I was only just getting my second wind. “I’m the kind of boxer that likes to fight on the inside and the computer doesn’t really reward that in the amateurs. I’d sooner slug it out with someone then get on my toes and box and that probably cost me in the amateurs. “I felt the time was right now to give the pro’s a shot. I’d achieved what I wanted to as an amateur and I just want to fight as often as possible in the pro’s and see where it takes me.”

Tims should have plenty of support for his debut having boxed out of the St. Matthews club in Dublin where he was trained by Bernard Dunne’s father, Brendan. “Bernard has brought a real buzz back into boxing in Dublin and that’s part of the reason I decided to go pro because the opportunity is there now where as a few years ago it was that much harder to go professional in Ireland.” Tims will be trained in the paid ranks by two-time European Bronze medallist Phil Sutcliffe. The Dubliner has been sharpening up for his pro debut by sparring with Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike “The Rebel” Perez. Perez, a World Junior champion as an amateur is based in Cork and his two fights to date have seen him rack up a pair of first round knockouts. Perez will also feature on the March 22 card as well as having two further contests scheduled for March 29 (Letterkenny) and April 12 (Castlebar).

The March 22 event also features a rematch between Andrew Murray and James Gorman for the Irish Light Welterweight title.