Dubliner Bernard Dunne roused his hometown crowd to its feet last night as he produced a stunning second round stoppage of Sean “Short Fuse” Hughes to capture the IBC Super-Bantamweight title.

Dubliner Jim Rock secured a hard-fought points decision over Alan Jones at the National Stadium last night to finally lay claim to a world title.

Joe Calzaghe admitted he was not the big hit he hoped to be in last night’s 15th successful defence of his WBO super-middleweight title in Edinburgh.

Telecoms giant BT was today handed the task of developing a state-of-the-art communications system to cope with heavier traffic in the skies.

The court house in the small Californian town of Santa Maria today had the look of a fortress ready for a siege, with chain link fences and metal barricades to hold back an expected invasion of Michael Jackson fans.

DUBLINER Peter Lawrie, Ireland’s Rookie of the Year on the PGA European Tour, was feted along with other leading Irish professionals Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane in Dublin last evening.

BELFAST’S Brian Magee turned in a near faultless display to see off rugged South African Andre Thysse and retain his IBO super-middleweight title for the fourth time at the MEN Arena in Manchester.