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The undercard for this Saturday’s Ladbrokes Fight Night features a trio of fighters who have the knockout looks to go with their knockout punches. Up and coming prospects Stephen Haughian, John O’Donnell and Logan McGuinness should prove popular with female fight fans at the University Arena in Limerick this weekend, but promoter Brian Peters says there’s more to boxing than looking the part.
“I suppose there is no doubt that they are three very good looking guys and very personable as well, but none of that matters in boxing unless you can fight and I don’t think there is any doubting their credentials in that department either,” said Peters.
The event is headlined by local hero Andy Lee as he bids to turn back the challenge of American dangerman, Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs but the undercard is also packed with talent.
“This will be Logan’s first fight as a pro, but he was a very good amateur in Canada,” said Peters. “Stephen and John are both well regarded welterweight prospects who could be on a collision course and I think that’s a fight that would interest a lot of fans both here and in the UK.”
Both Haughian and O’Donnell have remarkably similar records – Haughian has won all but one of his 15 professional bouts while O’ Donnell has been victorious in 17 of his 18 paid outings. With both knocking on the door of title contention, they will be out to impress in Limerick.
Haughian, in particular, looks set for a hard night’s work when he faces Italian Giuseppe Langella. In fact, Haughian’s only defeat came at the hands of Italian opposition when he was controversially outpointed over 12 rounds by Giammario Grassellini for the IBF Intercontinental title last December.
The split decision defeat suffered in the Kings Hall in Belfast that night still rankles with Haughian’s trainer John Breen. “I think the two judges who voted for Grassellini were the only two people in the Kings Hall that though he won that fight,” fumed Breen.
“I was very proud of Stephen though because it was his first time going 12 rounds and he had only just turned 23, so he handled the occasion very well.”
Breen, who also has Paul McCloskey, Jim Rock, Neil Sinclair, Martin Rogan and Jason McKay in his stable, rates the Lurgan man as highly as any fighter he’s ever been involved with.
