Tommy McCarthy secures April World Title shot
Tommy McCarthy [20(10)-4(2)] is close to officially confirming a world title shot.
Rumour and report suggest the Belfast cruiserweight will challenge Arsen Goulamirian [27(18)-0] for the WBA world title next month.
Irish-boxing.com understands a deal has been agreed in principle and ‘The Mac Attack’ will travel to France to challenge the champion on April 1.
Back-to-back defeats to Chris Billiam-Smith seemed to take the steam out of ‘Big Tommy’s’ world title charge but his manager Mark Dunlop and the champions team have always had positive communication.
Indeed, ‘Big Tommy,’ who is eligible to challenge thanks to his WBA#13 ranking, was twice previously close to fighting the long-reigning champion but proposed fights in 2020 and then 2022 never materialized. It now appears to be third time lucky for the popular puncher.
🤔 Could we see @arsenferoz vs @Tommymac90 next? https://t.co/dNFZTNYlQi
— NoSmokeBoxing (@NoSmokeBoxing) March 8, 2023
Speaking to Boxing Tickets NIbefore McCarthy’s last win, Dunlop revealed the former Oliver Plunkets amateur was in the frame to fight, presumably Goulamirian, for a world title last September.
“I was in talks to get Tommy a world title shot believe it or not but the strength of the last opponent wasn’t enough for this particular governing body.
“The [world champion] he was meant to fight in that particular opportunity still hasn’t fought, so who knows what this fight could bring for Tommy. Tommy is right in the mix, he’s top 20 in the world, so if he puts on a good performance….”
Ireland’s 15th overall and first ever black European Champion has always talked positively about his Goulamirian chances. The 32-year-old with a master’s degree in cruiserweight boxers expressed confidence when ‘Feroz’ name was mentioned.
The American-based Armenia-born French national won the ‘interim’ title by beating Ryad Merhy in 2018 and was eventually upgraded to ‘Super’ champion.
His last defence came against then 11-0 Russian Aleksei Egorov in November of last year, which was his first outing since 2019.
McCarthy has certainly been more active with three fights last year, although one was a rematch defeat to Billiam Smith.
