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Feild-ing Day – Padraig McCrory targets fight with former world champ

Padraig McCrory [13(7)-0] has name-dropped European title hopeful Jack Cullen and former world title holder Rocky Fielding in as close to a call out as your going to get from the notoriously polite super middleweight.

Having acquired a taste for the spotlight when co-featuring at the Ulster Hall in November, the popular Belfast fighter is hungry for more and wants the biggest fights attainable in 2022.

Conlan Boxing, who promoted McCrory’s last two fights, have suggested former Last Man Standing contestant Cullen and a European title charge when declaring Belfast bill topping confidence in the BUI Celtic title winner and WBC International silver titleholder.

‘The Hammer’ more than welcomes those plans and threw another name into the mix for good measure in MTK stablemate Rocky Fielding.

“To co-main event in a packed Ulster Hall gave me that buzz and hunger to achieve bigger and better,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.

“I soaked every moment of the event up and loved every minute of it,” he adds before declaring he wants more.

“I would love the biggest fight possible now. For me a chance against maybe Cullen or even Rocky Fielding, who I’m a fan of would be what I’m after. I’m sure MTK and Conlan boxing can get me something of that calibre.”

It’s certainly the type of fight Conlan Boxing have in mind for McCrory.

Post his recent win over Celso Neves at the Ulster Hall, Jamie Conlan was keen to let people know the 34-year-old super middleweight is ready for and deserves of big fight action.

Commenting on the former world title challengers European title and Jack Cullen words McCrory added: “As far as I’m aware Jamie was looking to make the Cullen fight. It’s a fight I would welcome with open arms. Cullen has looked very good in is his last couple of fights and seems to be getting better, so I think it’s a hard task but one I would love to take on.”

On an EBU journey, he said “I’m now ranked within the top 15 in Europe, so it’s definitely a possibility. Something I would love to push towards and it would be a massive achievement for me to get the opportunity.”

It does look like things are set up for a fighter, who started pro life late and worked his way up the ladder, is primed to be one of the names of 2022.

The Dee Walsh trained fighter points out step-up wins and the manner in which he achieved them has placed him in big fight territory.

“I think it was a good win at this stage of my career! Defeating a guy in the world top 100 in good fashion I think was a statement,” he comments on his most recent win before addressing stoppage victories over Sergei Gorokhov and Mickey Ellison.

“I think my last three wins have made people sit up and take notice. Each opponent was meant to be a step up and I feel I’ve blown them all out of the water. My confidence is through the roof at the minute.”

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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