With Devin Haney’s first defence of the WBC super-lightweight title just three weeks out, the official undercard has finally been announced, and the shock inclusion of one of Ireland’s top talents has fans excited about what could be in store.
Belfast has been searching for a new hero to support, although there appears to be plenty in the running. Lewis Crocker’s win over Tyrone McKenna set him up for a headline event in Belfast against Jose Felix earlier this year, obliging with a fifth-round knockout, whilst Padraig McCrory dared to be great and travelled stateside to take on Edgar Berlanga in February, but came up short.
Now it is the turn of Sean McComb to thrust his name into world title contention and represent Ireland on the world stage, as he will appear in the co-main event on Haney vs. Ryan Garcia, taking on Arnold Barboza Jr in a WBO super-lightweight world title eliminator.
McComb said: “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and now it’s here, I plan to grab it with both hands. Arnold is a great fighter – but so am I. It’s going to be a great fight. Thanks to Golden Boy and my manager Lee Eaton for making it happen. April 20th I promise you’ll see the upset!”
McComb (18-1) is currently ranked eighth with the WBO, whilst Barboza Jr is the mandatory challenger for Teofimo Lopez’s full world title, meaning a win for the Ulsterman would likely see him pitted up against ‘The Takeover’ in the near-future.
However, this is not Belfast’s only route to a world title, as Anthony Cacace challenges Joe Cordina for the IBF super-featherweight title on the upcoming Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk card in Saudi Arabia.