Carl Frampton hopes Ulster Hall return is A Night To Remember for fighters

This Saturday night sees pro boxing take place at the Ulster Hall and Belfast’s most famous fighting son has urged the boxers involved to savour the moment.

Widely regarded as the best venue for fighting in Ireland, the atmospheric hall has not played host to a pro card since October 2012 and Carl Frampton believes that this could be the start of something great.

There has been a smattering of amateur action over the past six years, but no pro punching – and that thankfully changes this weekend when James Tennyson, who featured on the last Ulster Hall pro card as a 1-0 teenager, tops an MHD Promotions bill in the historic venue.

‘The Assassin’ headlines the ‘A Night To Remember’ bill where he will face Portsmouth’s Garry Neale, with undercard support coming from Cathy McAleer, Paul Hyland, Tommy McCarthy, Luke Wilton, Mathew Fitzsimons, and the Feargal McCrory v Karl Kelly Irish title fight.

The card, hopefully, marks a resurgence of boxing in the venue, with an MTK bill now also scheduled for Friday March 29th, with Luke Keeler rematching Conrad Cummings.

Frampton, a big supporter of all boxing in the Titanic City, is more than familiar with the venue having headlined two cards there and boxed in the Ulster Finals and believes that the concert hall is a special place.

‘The Jackal’, writing in his weekly column for the Sunday Life, hopes that the nine Irish fighters in action this weekend will be similarly motivated.

Frampton outlined how “professional boxing returns to the Ulster Hall this Saturday night when James Tennyson headlines and for all the fighters it will be special to be boxing at such a great venue.”

“When you’re in the ring there is a sense of the fans on top of you. It’s something I thrived on and I hope all the guys feel the same this Saturday.”

The effects of the Ulster Hall could be seen last night during the amazing finals night of the Ulster Elite Senior Championships and Frampton notes how it is an important night for the careers of a number of Belfast boxers.

The two-weight world champ described how “for Tennyson it’s the chance to get back on track after his world title defeat by Tevin Farmer while I hope Paul Hyland and Tommy McCarthy – who could face WBA Inter-Continental champion Richard Riakporhe next – can put in top performances to get the fans buzzing.”