Boxing In Ireland: Cork Cuban Acosta Added To September 11 Fight Card

Cork based Cuban KO specialist Alexei Acosta will bid to take another step up in class next month when he takes on former World title challenger Cristian Faccio on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at The National Stadium, Dublin on September 11th.

The bill features a European title double header with Belfast’s Brian Magee defending his Super Middleweight title against Roman Aramian and Kiko “La Sensación” Martinez returning to Dublin as he bids to recapture the European Super Bantamweight crown against Arsen Martirosyan.

Acosta, a former World Junior Champion will be biding to extend his perfect record to a dozen straight wins in the pro ranks with all of his wins to date having come via stoppage.

Faccio is no stranger to Irish fight fans having lost to Bernard Dunne in 2008 on a technical decision in the Dubliner’s last fight before winning the World title from Ricardo Cordoba.

On that occasion in Castlebar Dunne suffered a bad cut from an accidental clash of heads and ringside doctor was forced to stop the fight at the end of the seventh round.

Dunne was ahead on the referee’s scorecard at the time of the stoppage so was awarded the fight via a technical decision however it’s an experience that left a bitter taste with Faccio.

The Uruguayan still believes he would have gone on to win the fight and he is confident of making amends against Acosta in Dublin next month.

“In my opinion Dunne did not want to come out for the 8th round and I think I should have won the fight because I was ready to continue. I was getting stronger and stronger in that fight and I believe I would have won if the fight had continued.”

Faccio is equally confident about his chances in Dublin. “I’m training very hard for this fight and it’s chance for me to erase the disappointment of my last trip to Ireland and get a win that will hopefully put me back in the mix for a title fight.

“Acosta has a nice record but records are for paper. He has never been beyond 5 rounds and I don’t think he is really prepared to fight someone of my calibre and experience.

“I have watched some of his fights and despite his record I don’t believe he hits very hard because he slaps with his punches a lot. I will be happy to show him how to throw a real knockout punch although it might be a painful lesson for him.”

“The Hurricane” Acosta will be joined on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night by his two Cork based compatriots, Luis “The Lion” Garcia and Mike “The Rebel” Perez with all three men sporting perfect records in the pro ranks to date.

It’s the start of a busy period for the prodigious talents with outings also penciled in on the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at The Aura in Letterkenny on October 2nd when Paul McCloskey tops the bill in a European Light Welterweight title defence against Scotland’s Barry Morrison.

Aside from the European title double header and the three Cuban stars next months National Stadium card in Dublin also features the eagerly awaited rubber match between Anthony Fitzgerald and Robbie Long, a local derby that will see Fitzgerald’s Irish Super Middleweight title up for grabs.

There will be further Dublin interest as reigning EU and Irish Super Bantamweight Champion Paul Hyland looks to press his claims for a shot at the winner of the Kiko Martinez – Arsen Martirosyan fight while Dubliners, Gavin Prunty and Brendan Fitzpatrick also feature.

Tickets for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night priced €40, €75 and €100 are available from Ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300 or the National Stadium on 087 2511772, the Ticket Office on 086 8120135 or the boxers on the bill.