MSG piece de resistance for Renaissance Man?

By Jonny Stapleton
CIARAN Healy hopes to secure a dream Madison Square Garden St Patrick’s Day Irish title fight before finally hanging up his gloves in 2012.

Irish boxing’s renaissance man believes a light heavyweight domestic clash with Long Beach’s Seanie Monaghan in the world renowned venue will prove the pièce de résistance in what has been an entertaining if somewhat up and down career.

The veteran two weight Irish champion echoed Navan favourite Monagahan’s claims that talks re the bout are at an advanced stage and to say he is excited about fighting in New York on the undercard of Matthew Macklin and Sergio Martinez is an under statement.

“It would be a dream come true to fight in The Garden,” Healy told www.irish-boxing.com. “Gerard McCaffrey is dealing with all talks. He is being talking to Seanie‘s team and it is looking good. Seanie is a big ticket seller over there so they are confident they can get on the St Patrick’s Day Card.”

Despite being close to securing a clash that could get him Stateside recognition the Belfast fighter has declared his intention to hang up his gloves next year.

Ironically the tough battler, who recently proved himself beyond domestic level with knock wins over John Waldron and Brendan Fitzpatrick, believes he enters his final year as a pro is in the best shape of his life and did lament what could have been if he had been more disciplined earlier in his career.

However focusing on the future and not the past Healy is confident he will beat Monaghan and retire as Irish champ.

“I am actually fitter now than I was a few years ago. I have been putting it in, actually wish i put it in more years ago. I watched Seanie’s last fight and was impressed with his power, but know i can beat him. I will win over there and hopefully have few more fights. This time next year I will retire and the plan is to be still champion of Ireland.”