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Could we see a domestic light middleweight tournament? Options are being explored by Boxing Ireland and Ring Kings

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The prospect an exciting domestic knockout light middleweight tournament has increased.

Indeed, talks with regard to organizing Golden Contract or WBSS style tournament for Ireland’s 154lbs fighters will take place tonight after Ring Kings and Boxing Ireland became open to the idea.

Amidst the recent spat of light middleweight back and forts published on Irish-boxing.com there have been people excitedly suggesting there are enough same level operators at the weight for a domestic tournament to take place.

The four prominent names in the call outs and responses should compete over two nights, a semi finals affair leading to a decider, it has been suggested.

While others believe things could be dragged out further if four more names were to be added to the mix.

The initial target would appear to be have a tournament comprising of Boxing Ireland duo Dominic Donegan and Eddie Treacy as well as Graham McCormack and Owen Duffy. A semi finals night would play out in Waterford in mid May and the final could populate a Boxing Ireland card later in the year.

If you were to expand beyone the four Irish title keen Jay Byrne may be interested and Paddy Gallagher, who holds the BUI Celtic title at the weight, may want in. Killian Reardon has said to have retired, but may be swayed with at least one fight guaranteed. Owen O’Neill could be an option if he got a six rounder in and you wanted to extend things further, while Rohan Date may fancy moving back up to light middle for a high profile tournament.

A larger pool of fighters looks unlikely as there would be more fighters to accommodate and negotiate with.

Even getting the four most talked about all to say yes may prove a problem that only a big sponsor and some purse offers may cure.

However, from it looking like there would be no shows in Ireland to the conformation of a Waterford card and rumour with regard to a Boxing Ireland card in Dublin, news Ring Kings and Boxing Ireland see discussions with regard to a light middleweight tournament worth exploring is another positive.

dpg

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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