Tyrone McKenna v Phil Sutcliffe Jr Irish title fight green-lit

A weekend of upheaval in the Irish light welterweight division has left us hungrily eyeing an Irish 140lbs title fight between MGM stablemates Tyrone McKenna and Phil Sutcliffe Jr – and the Boxing Union of Ireland have authorised a clash between the pair

Both fought on the Boxnation ‘Homecoming’ show in Belfast in what was the biggest fights of their respective careers thus far.

Local lad McKenna [12(4)-0-1] forced Tallaght’s Sean Creagh into a fifth round retirement with a destructive display, winning the BUI Celtic Warrior title in the process and therefore claiming top spot in the governing body’s rankings.

Dubliner Sutcliffe [12(7)-1(0)] came through a war with Welsh former two-time British title challenger Chris Jenkins, taking a ten round points decision. The win, alongside Danny O’Connor’s reclassification to welterweight, sees Sutcliffe leapfrog Anto Upton into the #2 ranked position on the light welter ladder.

This evening the BUI confirmed that a fight between the pair has now been authorised.

Sutcliffe, who has desired the green belt for years, stated that he would like a fight with ‘The Mighty Celt,’ while McKenna expressed his openness to fighting anyone in the division.

With Boxnation looking to make a return to Belfast in the new year, with late February or early March being mooted, it would seem to be the perfect opportunity to stage such a fight.