Renaissance Man Healy’s French D’Day

By Jonny Stapleton

IRISH BOXING’S renaissance man is planning a French masterpiece come November 5 and wants to sprawl his latest opponent all over the canvas.

Irish Light Heavyweight champion, Ciaran Healy will challenge Bilel Latreche at Salle Auguste Delaume on November 5 in a scheduled 8×3 super middleweight contest, and is planning a KO victory that could lead to a double title shot.

The Belfast veteran’s opponent is already penciled in to fight   Morrade Hakkar for the IBF International super middleweight title and the WBA Inter-Continental super middleweight title in December.

However, Healy plans to erase Latreche name from Hakkar’s record and replace it with his own.

“I jumped at the chance to take this fight. I am not getting much opportunities over here so I am going over to France to upset the odds and hopefully get the chance to replace him for the title fight,” Healy told www.Irish-boxing.com.

Healy is enjoying a knock out laden Indian boxing summer. The fighter, who is desperate not to remembered as a journey man, is a lot more dedicated in his latter years and has decided to take pre fight camp seriously.

As the popular fighter joked after his most recent win Belfast bars might not be benefiting, but his career certainly is. Healy has proved he is a step above domestic level with dramatic stoppage wins over Brendan Fitzpatrick and John Waldron and he is ready to prove he belongs on a continental platform come November 5.

However, the 36 year old 30 fight veteran believes he will have to once again draw on that knock out power to win.

“I have had plenty of notice so no excuses. I watched him on you tube and I wasn’t that impressed. I have fought better fighters than him. I plan to stop him. The KO will come. I am not winning over there on points. I fought the French champion last time and got beat on points but not this time,” he added before giving his last trip to France a poor rating.

“I fought over there last year and starved for two days before the fight.  We got delayed and stuck in airports for 24hrs at least, so this time its payback.”