Tommy McCarthy to challenge for vacant European title

Tommy McCarthy [16(8)-2(1)] looks set to be freed from European title limbo.

A pathway has opened up for the Belfast fighter to fight for the vacant EBU cruiserweight title after Lawrence Okolie’s next move was finally confirmed.

‘The Mack Attack’ was made mandatory for the strap back in January and the EBU ordered his team to begin talks with Matchroom re an Okolie tilt.

‘The Sauce’ was the champion, but with a world title fight in the pipeline had no major defence plans.

With talk re a proposed early 2020 world title fight with Krzysztof Glowacki cooling McCarthy was left waiting.

The 29-year-old made it clear he was willing to challenge the Londoner, but it was obvious Matchroom didn’t want to risk the world title opportunity and Okolie wasn’t going to vacate until it was signed.

Now with Eddie Hearn confirming the Anthony Joshua managed Okolie will fight Glowacki on the undercard of AJ’s next world title defence, ‘Big Tommy’, who flirted with a world title shot of his own in the spring, is freed from limbo.

The road is clear for an EBU title fight and considering that fight has to be promoted by Matchroom it’s quite possible it will play out undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev in the autumn.

McCarthy previously told Irish-boxing.com he expected to fight Nikodem Jezewski [17(9)-0-1] – the fighter he was initially scheduled to fight for the vacant EU strap – for main Continental title if Okolie vacated.