Illness may act as British title tonic for Tommy McCarthy

Team Tommy McCarthy will this Thursday push for their man to fight for the British title next.

The Belfast cruiserweight was ordered to fight a final eliminator with Matty Askin [20(13)-3(1)] and was set to face the English fighter at the Bolton Whites Hotel on Saturday October 22nd on a VIP Boxing show.

However, a delay to Ovill McKenzie’s fight with Marco Huck looks set to free up the title – and McCarthy could be granted a shot in his next fight.

McKenzie was due to fight in Germany this weekend, but the fight has been rescheduled due to the Jamaican suffering an illness.

If he was victorious in that fight, for the lightly-regarded IBO title, there is no doubt McKenzie would have vacated, but if he suffered a reverse he most likely would have held onto the Lonsdale strap – which he is sceduled to defend against Craig Kennedy on the Fury-Klitschko undercard.

However, with the IBO title fight put back, the Frank Warren-promoted puncher will most likely vacate, or be stripped by the British Board – thus creating a Mexican stand off between Kennedy, Askin and Tommy McCarthy.

The board meet on Thursday to discuss the situation, and when asked about the the latest twist in McCarthy’s push for domestic honours, manager Pat Magee told Irish-boxing.com that “what we will do is put Tommy’s case forward. We are willing to fight for the British title next if the board okay it.”

“Tommy could fight Askin for the British title with a promise to fight Kennedy next. Or if Kennedy is next in line Tommy would fight him and then defend against Askin if that suits better.”

“We will know more by Thursday.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)