‘Definitely happening’ – Fans in for a ‘treat’ as exciting all Irish fight made for February
Irish fight fans are in for a domestic treat early next year according to Dominic Donegan [5(1)-2(0)].
The Cavan fighter says he has already agreed to fight Belfast’s Owen O’Neill [7-0] and revealed February will play host to the first all-Irish clash of the new year.
‘The Bomb’ stepped in and provided ‘The Operator’ with exhibition bout opposition at the Ulster Hall in the first week of November after O’Neill’s opponent pulled out just over 24 hours before an eagerly anticipated clash.
Seeing both in the ring planted a seed and prompted fans to call for it to be made for real – and Donegan told Irish-boxing.com they are going to get their wish.
The 2017 Ulster Championship rivals have agreed to fight on the next Conlan Boxing, which is expected to be confirmed for February of next year.
“It’s definitely going to happen,” he assures with authority.
“It’s going to happen on the next Conlan card. There is talk that that will be in February. I think we are trying to push it for an eight rounder. It’s definitely going to happen. I think Owen wants it and I want it. It’s a rematch from the amateurs and a rematch Owen deserves.”
There were concerns that despite being king of the all Irish fight Boxing Ireland may not want to put two of their bigger names in against each other – but the Tony Davit trained fighter revealed that the people behind the Celtic Clash series already tried to make it a sanctioned fight in November.
“I got a phone call from my manager asking about my weight and he said about Owen’s opponent not coming over on the plane,” Donegan begins to explain. “I said I’d fight him. They gave me a weight I said ‘no problem’. It would have been a six round fight and not an exhibition if we could have got it sanctioned. We pushed for it to be a fight, not an exhibition, but the British Board didn’t sanction it because of the short notice.”
Donegan, who has suffered surprise defeat twice already this year, trades leather with Dale Arrowsmith on a Kevin Maree show in England next weekend – and while he is willing to look ahead to a Triple O treat he isn’t willing to look past the Belfast man.
The 27-year-old doesn’t want to predict anything other than the fight will entertain.
“Everyone would like to know how it would play out that’s what makes it a good fight. I’m not going to say I’m going to go in there and knock him out or say I’ll do this or do that. All I can say is you’re in for a treat.
“It’s going to be a hell of a fight. It puts us in play for an Irish title if we get it made over eight, so there is a lot a stake. Anyone that seen our amateur fight knows we will put on a show. Hopefully, it will be on a Conlan card at the Ulster Hall and on ESPN. “
