"STRONGER AND better" seems to be the mantra from the Bernard Dunne camp as he prepares to step back into the ring in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

The Dunne bubble burst in emphatic fashion last August when Spain's Kiko Martinez marched into the ring at the Point Depot and shattered the Dubliner's unbeaten record in just 86 seconds of mayhem.

The European super-bantamweight title had gone and his profile as a genuine world title contender left open to serious question.

On that night 7,000 had packed into the Point but this evening as he seeks to cast the haunting memories of Martinez's fists of fury aside there will be half that number in attendance in a relatively low-key return.

Felix Machado, a world champion for six years at super-flyweight, has lost four of his last six fights and as a comeback opponent the 35-year-old Venezuelan fits the bill - credible but not too threatening.

Dunne is adamant he will have no ill-effects from the defeat to Martinez, who has since lost the European title in his first defence to Englishman Rendall Munroe.

Munroe clinically outboxed the Spaniard, a point not lost on the Dubliner. "I watched the fight and Munroe carried out exactly the tactics that I was ready to do against Martinez but didn't get a chance to because I got caught cold," said Dunne.

"Now I just can't wait to get back in the ring. I'm feeling stronger than before because I've been on a specific weights programme. After the loss to Martinez obviously I looked at things and how I could improve.

"But I don't feel that I'm under any more pressure. It's boxing, sometimes you lose and if you can't come back from defeat then you shouldn't be in this business. I haven't forgotten how to box, don't worry about that.

"I have always said that I would love a re-match with Martinez because I know I would beat him. Now Munroe is an option to get the European title back."