Casey gets title chance

BOXING:EUROPEAN CHAMPION Willie Casey's will challenge Guillermo Rigondeaux for the Cuban's WBA World super-bantamweight title in mid-March with the Citywest Hotel in Dublin looking the most likely venue.

Santiago de Cuba-born Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic champion, claimed the WBA title on a split decision over Ricardo Cordoba, who Bernard Dunne beat for the same title last year, in Texas last month in just his seventh professional fight.

Dolphil Promotions, who manage Limerick native Casey, confirmed that a deal has been struck between DolPhil, Rigondeaux’s Cork-born manager Gary Hyde and Top Rank Promotions.

“The deal is in place. Ireland can now prepare itself for one of the greatest fights ever held over here. You have a two-time Olympic gold medalist and WBA World Champion against Ireland’s ‘Cinderella man’ – a man who has beaten all the odds to get to where he is now,” said Daniel Halpin of DolPhil.

Rigondeaux is no stranger to Ireland as he won gold at the 2001 World Championships in Belfast – Jim Moore claimed bronze at the same tournament for Ireland – just a year after he won gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

“I am very happy to bring my world title to Ireland, the same place where I won my first world amateur title. I have watched Casey and I believe this will be a tough fight. He fights with passion and a lot of courage but I believe I will remain champion after this fight,” said Miami based Rigondeaux.

Having won both the Prizefighter trophy and the European title this year, Casey says he is confident that his spectacular rise to stardom will continue next March.

“I’m delighted and very grateful that after such a short career I have got all these opportunities. As I have shown so far the bigger these occasions get the better I will get. Ireland has been waiting a while for their next world champion and I am ready to keep that belt here in Ireland.”

Elsewhere, AIBA World Youth champion Joe Ward was celebrating a double on Saturday after claiming gold and the boxer of tournament award at the 20-Nation Abbas Agalarov Cup in Azerbaijan.

A 6-1 verdict over Abdeshnov Denislan of Kazakhstan saw the Moate club-man finish on top of the light-heavyweight podium in Baku.

Evan Metcalfe, Declan Milligan, Michael McDonagh and Kieron Forde all won bronze in Baku to take Ireland medal haul to five medals from the tournament.