Fitz primed for December card

29 November 2010 – Jonny Stapleton

Anthony Fitzgerald moves down in weight in a bid to move up the rankings as he challenges for the WBF Inter-continental title in National Basketball Arena on December 10.

The Irish super middleweight champ has trimmed to middleweight and believes victory over Kevin Hammond (8-5) in their pre-Christmas bout and some more impressive displays in the New Year will ensure he will be mentioned alongside the likes of Andy Lee and John Duddy.

The Pride would be expected to beat the former British amateur champion on the top of a Dolphil bill that also includes a non-title fight for European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey and a return to Dublin for Wild Card prospect Dean Byrne.

However the inner city Dub is expecting a tough challenge and claims Hammonds record is better than it suggests.

This fight means a lot to me. Its in Dublin, its another belt and another chance to move up the ratings, Fitzgerald said.

The fighter I am boxing is a good fighter and it makes for a good fight. He is meant to be the toughest opponent I have faced but once I keep doing the hard work in the gym I am confident of winning. I have trained for 12 rounds but if a chance comes to get him out earlier I will take it.

I hope this fight will help raise my profile and sees me eventually up there with the likes of Duddy and Lee. I already called Duddy out and I would like to fight him. Hopefully he accepts the challenge after I win this one.

A massive cut inflicted on his opponent ensured a premature end to Fitzgeralds a bad blood clash with Lee Murtagh last time out. And despite calls for a rematch the Irish champion claims he is moving on.

I was very disappointed a clash of heads and a cut stopped that fight early. Lee Murtagh was definitely going to get stopped regardless. That fight wasnt going past four rounds. I would like a rematch but now I am moving up the ladder I dont want to be moving down for the sake of it.