BERNARD DUNNE has been handed the opportunity of a lifetime in the form of a shot at Ricardo ‘El Maestrito’ Cordoba’s WBA world super-bantamweight title at The O2 in Dublin on March 21.

IT WAS always going to be a difficult assignment but Bernard Dunne’s third comeback fight at Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar tonight took on a new dimension when his original opponent, Mexican Eduardo Garcia, injured himself in training and Cristian Facio was called up as a replacement.

WITH a shot at one of the four world titles inside the next 12 months as the target, Bernard Dunne will continue his rehabilitation before the home crowd at the National Stadium on July 12 against an opponent yet to be named.

BARRY McGUIGAN had advice for Bernard Dunne last night on the eve of tonight’s European super bantamweight title defence against Reidar Walstad at The Point — get stronger, make a couple of defences, make some money, let the top guys beat each other up and then move in on a world title.