By Elliot Foster
Tommy McCarthy will not box this weekend.
The former English cruiserweight title challenger had been set to face Mike Perez on Saturday, exclusively live on Sky Sports.
But the Pat Magee-managed 26-year-old (9-1, 5 KOs) has been pulled from the June 10 card at the SSE Arena in Belfast, leaving Perez –– the former world-ranked Cuban –– without a dance partner.
The show’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed via social media that the 31-year-old southpaw Perez will remain on the card, regardless of whether the McCarthy fight could be agreed for a second time, and he is expected to fight over six rounds.
Paul Hyland Jr. was the first fighter to be confirmed for the undercard and it has since been revealed that he will be in a title fight. He will come up against Adam Dingsdale on the bill, with the vacant IBF European lightweight title at stake.
Ian Tims will take on Luke Watkins for the vacant Irish cruiserweight title and that fight will be flanked by Coalisland super-featherweight Feargal McCrory, fresh off his win over Jay Carney in April, and that division’s Irish champion James Tennyson.
Tennyson was last in action on March 10 at the Waterfront Hall when he stopped Declan Geraghty. He had been set to box on ‘Celtic Clash 2’ on May 27 in Dublin, but he withdrew from that card in favour of appearing on the Haskins-Burnett televised bill.
Matt Wilton, Paddy Gallagher and Tyrone McCullagh will feature alongside undefeated Carl McDonald, while Kieran Farrell-managed duo Padraig McCrory and Sean Magee will both make dream debuts on the bill and there is action for Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick.