Gary Sweeney Will Finally Debut, Makes Bow at Macron Stadium
By Elliot Foster
Gary Sweeney will finally get to punch for pay this weekend.
The Irish cruiserweight, who is the younger brother of Michael Sweeney, will step through the ropes for the first time as a paid fighter –– and his maiden step in the paid code will be screened exclusively live on BoxNation.
Sweeney, the MGM-managed seven-time Irish national amateur champion, will feature on the Frank Warren-promoted ‘Jack’s Back’ card on May 13 at the Premier Suite at Bolton Wanderers’ Macron Stadium.
His debut will come over four rounds as part of the undercard to Jack Catterall’s WBO Inter-Continental super lightweight title defence against Joe Hughes in what will also be a final eliminator for the British belt, which is currently held by Tyrone Nurse.
It will be at the third or fourth time of asking that Sweeney makes his bow in the paid code after a failed stint under Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves in South Africa, with his debut set for September 19 last year, before he was handed two further dates that didn’t happen for him.
Despite the setbacks, Sweeney is confident.
He said: “I am really looking forward to getting started [and] I want to show everyone what I can do.”
Elsewhere on the card, Luke Blackledge will face Ishmael Tetteh of Ghana in a defence of his Commonwealth super middleweight title in his first outing since last October.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kelly (16-1, 7 KOs) returns to the fray after losing in a world title fight last December and there is action for a host of young and undefeated prospects, including Indian sensation Vijender Singh (4-0, 4 KOs).
Steven Lewis (10-0), Macaulay McGowan (9-0) and Ciaran McVarnock (5-0-1) will also feature, alongside the likes of Joe Costello (5-0), Jack Flatley (3-0) and talented lightweight Zelfa Barrett (9-0).
