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Phelan Ready – Kildare fighter set for step up ahead of Irish title assault


After almost a year out of the ring, Allan Phelan [9(6)-3(1)-1] will look to make up lost time this Saturday night.

The Kildare super feather steps up to eight rounds on the Assassin Boxing ‘Rise Again’ card at the National Basketball Arena as he looks to position himself for titles in what is a red-hot time for the division.

Coalisland’s Feargal McCrory and Sallynoggin slugger Stephen McAfee have been sanctioned to fight for the Irish title, with a November 24th date mooted, and Phelan will become eligible for the belt this weekend

An impressive win, he feels, will set the lilywhite up for a shot at the title in the near future following a frustrating another period of inactivity.

Phelan told Irish-Boxing.com that “I need to do an eight rounder to be eligible for the Irish title.

“Hopefully, the plan is to get the eight rounder out of the way, look good, and step forward to the Irish title or the Celtic, either or.”

“I’ll be eligible for the super feather or the featherweight titles.”

“I want to keep stepping up now.”

The guaranteed war between McAfee and McCrory, if it comes off, would crown a new Irish champion and a ready-made target for Phelan but the 26-year-old is not getting ahead of himself.

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“I’ve heard that they’re mandated, but I haven’t been told, I don’t know what the story is,” he noted

“I’m just focused on my own thing, getting this eight rounder out of the way and then see what the best option is.”

“I’d take the winner [of McCrory v McAfee], I don’t mind.”

His fellow Kildare fighter, Athy’s Eric Donovan, has also been mentioned as a potential Irish title opponent and this is another possibility for Phelan.

‘The Young Wolf’ admitted that “that’s something that would interest me, definitely, but I’m between feather and super feather.

“Kildare would love it, the following is there, the crowd is there. That’s one for down the line, if anything it will be next year.”

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First up is a potential banana skin of a fight with familiar Pole Damian Lawniczak [5(0)-27(3)-1]. The veteran Eastern European is ultra durable, comes to fight, and won last time out.

It looks to be a testing fight for Phelan who is confident and described how “I just want to get in and perform, look good, dominate, and if the knockout comes, it comes.”

“I’ve been working hard in the gym, on my power and on my speed.”

Following another period out of the ring – although remaining a regular at the Celtic Warriors Gym – Phelan is ready to kick on having linked up with Assassin Boxing.

There are plans afoot for the elder brother of World Youth bronze medallist Katelynn and he revealed that “Assassin are looking to run me regularly on cards here and back over in New York.”

“The doors are there, it’s just about getting on the shows.”

“With Assassin now I’ve the connections to get on the shows and step up.”

“I’m hoping to get some big fights before the end of the year and then on to titles in 2019.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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