Winters to defend title in Belfast

Several of Ireland's promising professional boxers will be in action in an eight-bout programme at the Waterfront Centre in Belfast on Saturday week as Frank Warren attempts to revive the Belfast image of the sport.

Top of the bill will be a defence of his British light welterweight title by Mark Winters when he meets Bernard Paul from London. Winters, who boxed out of the Antrim club as an amateur, will be making the first defence of the title he won by beating Carl Wright in Sheffield last October. He is unbeaten in 12 professional fights.

Also on the bill is Steve Collins' brother Paschal who meets Peter Voster from Plymouth in a super middleweight bout while another Dubliner, Jim Rock, meets Wayne Alexander from Croydon at light middleweight.

Darren Corbett, another former amateur international, was to have challenged for the WBO cruiserweight title against the holder Carl Thompson but the latter has pulled out injured and another fight is being arranged.

Danny Ryan from Donegal is also on the bill in a six-round middleweight contest with Kevin Adamson while Tommy Waite from Belfast meets John Matthews from Aldershot in a four-round featherweight contest.

The bill will be completed by Marty Reneghan from Keady in a four-round lightweight bout where he is opposed by Kostos Konstatinos from Potters Bar and Neil Sinclair from Belfast will meet Michael Alexander from Doncaster in a four-round middleweight contest.

Scotland travel to the national Stadium for the first amateur international of the year on Friday night with the Kuttner Shield at stake.

Irish champion Eugene McEneaney meets David Stewart at light welter. Francis Barrett from Galway, takes on the Scottish champion, Colin McNeill at welterweight.

In the light welterweight division Irish champion Mark Wickam from Enniscorthy meets Lee Sharp while the Irish runner up Paul McCloskey from Belfast meets Kevin Greene at the same weight.

There will be two bouts at super heavyweight with the reigning Irish champion Stephen Reynolds from Sligo and the runner up John Kinsella from Dublin both engaged.

At middleweight the Irish champion Brian Magee from Belfast meets David Feeney while at light heavy, the Irish runner up, Alo Kelly from Offaly, will meet Lee Ramsey.