WILLIE “Big Bang” Casey has pushed his body to the limits of human endurance in preparation for next Saturday’s WBA world title fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux at Citywest Conference Centre.

GUILLERMO Rigondeaux yesterday told of the pain and anguish of leaving his wife and young son behind him when he left Cuba to pursue a professional boxing career.

WILLIE “Big Bang” Casey and Guillermo Rigondeaux came face to face at the Montenotte Hotel in Cork for the first time on Saturday ahead of their world title fight in March.

WILLIE “Big Bang” Casey returns to camp on Monday to prepare for his World title fight against Cuban sensation Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux at the Citywest Conference Centre on March 19.

GUILLERMO “El Chacal” Rigondeaux returned to his training camp in Houston, Texas, yesterday with words of warning for Willie “Big Bang” Casey in advance of their WBA title fight at the Citywest Conference Centre on March 10.

WILLIE “Big Bang” CASEY will touch gloves with the two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA super bantamweight title at the Citywest Conference Centre on January 19 following agreement between the camps.

WILLIE ‘Big Bang’ Casey could be the ideal opponent for the two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, according to the Cuban’s manager Gary Hyde.

PATRICK HYLAND will have an opportunity to reinforce his rating with the EBU and, ultimately, his claims for an early shot at a European title when he takes on Suate Laze at the Hunky Dory’s Fight Night in Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar on Saturday night.

KIKO MARTINEZ is all set to return to Dublin in a bid to reclaim the European super bantamweight title that he took from Bernard Dunne at the old Point three years ago, and he said yesterday that he is hoping his achievement in winning back the title will lure the Dubliner out of retirement for a return fight.

“AFTER a lot of thought and reflection the time has finally come to bring my career as a professional boxer to an end.”

KATIE TAYLOR has hinted that the row between her and the Irish Amateur Boxing Association over the governing body’s ban on amateur boxers appearing on professional cards could resurface in the future.

BERNARD DUNNE has revealed not only does he fancy returning to the ring, he would love to do so against the fighter who dethroned him as WBA super-bantamweight champion, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

BRIAN PETERS revealed after Saturday night’s disaster at the O2 that he had suggested to Bernard Dunne that he might forfeit the WBA world super bantamweight title and go down another route rather than face the mandatory challenge of Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

A TEXT-BOOK left hook perfectly placed on the point of the chin signalled the end of Bernard Dunne’s six-month reign as WBA world super bantamweight champion and transferred the belt to Thailand thunderball, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, before a stunned sell-out crowd at the O2 in Dublin’s Docklands on Saturday night.

HE went to the gates of hell to win it and Bernard Dunne is not prepared to even consider relinquishing his WBA world super bantamweight belt in his first defence against Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym from Thailand when they touch gloves at the O2 on Dublin’s Dockside tonight.

BERNARD DUNNE and Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym met face to face for the first time in Dublin on Wednesday and now their respective handlers, Harry Hawkins and Niwat Laosuwannawat, have gone head-to-head in advance of tomorrow night’s world title defence at the O2 in Dublin.

THAILAND’S Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym came face to face with WBA World Super Bantamweight title holder Bernard Dunne, for the first time yesterday and promised that Saturday night’s meeting at the O2 will not be as cordial.

World champion boxer Bernard Dunne today vowed to dedicate a successful title defence to the late Darren Sutherland.

BERNARD DUNNE is putting the finishing touches to his preparations for the defence of his WBA World Super Bantamweight title against Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym of Thailand at the O2 on Saturday week.

WBA Super Bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne is leaving no stone unturned as he enters the final stages of preparations for his first World title defence at the O2 Arena later this month.

BERNARD DUNNE has yet to address the challenge of the No 1 contender to his WBA super bantamweight crown, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, but his promoter Brian Peters is already planning the Dubliner’s future ahead of that fight.

It has been been confirmed that WBA Super Bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne will make the first defence of his title at the O2 in Dublin on Saturday, September 26, when he faces number one-rated contender Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

BERNARD DUNNE has promised fireworks and an education for the challenger in his first WBA super-bantamweight title defence at the O2 Arena on September 26.

WBA Super-Bantamweight Champion Bernard Dunne will defend his world title for the first time against Thailand's Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, it was announced this afternoon.

Waterford hurlers drew on world champion Bernard Dunne’s experience in preparing for last Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Kilkenny.

WATERFORD hurlers drew on world champion Bernard Dunne’s experience in preparing for last Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Kilkenny.

WATERFORD hurlers have received a pre-championship boost from world champion boxer Bernard Dunne.

WORLD boxing champion Bernard Dunne is to be honoured in Cork this week on the same day a legendary Leeside-born boxer is commemorated.

WORLD Champion boxer Bernard Dunne recorded another memorable victory yesterday during a visit to his former school when he secured a much-prized half day for its pupils.

Rendall Munroe has become the latest name to put himself forward for a challenge at Bernard Dunne's WBA super-bantamweight title.

WHILE Ireland celebrated Super Saturday, fitness expert Mick McGurn was handed further evidence that his Midas touch was in operation.

Wayne McCullough has issued an open letter to Bernard Dunne proposing a fight with the newly-crowned WBA super-bantamweight champion.

BRIAN PETERS brought off what can only be regarded as an astonishing coup by getting Ricardo Cordoba’s management to sign a voluntary defence contract without a re-match clause.

IRELAND’S dramatic Grand Slam decider against Wales was the most watched television programme in the country this year.

Newly-crowned WBA super bantamweight champ Bernard Dunne admits that he was inspired by the Irish rugby team en route to his win over defending champ Ricardo Cordoba at The O2 Arena in Dublin on Saturday night.

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has made Brian O’Driscoll its early odds-on favourite at 4/7 to win this year’s Irish Sports Personality of the Year, after Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam win at the weekend.

Bernard Dunne is the new WBA super-bantamweight champion after he stunned Ricardo Cordoba with an 11th-round knockout tonight.

President Mary McAleese today led the tributes to boxer Bernard Dunne after he was crowned the new WBA Super-Bantamweight World Champion.

A world title fight will come to Irish soil for the first time in 13 years this evening as Neilstown's Bernard Dunne takes on Panama's Ricardo Cordoba for the WBA Super Bantam-weight title.

The eyes of the country will be on the rugby match in Cardiff this afternoon. It is more than 60 years since Ireland won its only grand slam, and this would be our first in the Six Nations Championship.

BERNARD DUNNE can fulfil every boxer’s dream by becoming world champion tonight but he will have to produce the performance of his life if he is to strip the WBA world super bantamweight title from Ricardo “El Maestrito” Cordoba before a sell-out crowd at The 02 in Dublin.

BERNARD DUNNE’S old boxing coach, Peter Perry, believes the Dubliner will defy the odds and strip Ricardo Cordoba of his WBA world super bantamweight title at The O2 tomorrow night.

BERNARD DUNNE wants to win the world title, not just for himself but for all of Ireland, and he insisted yesterday he is in the best shape of his life and ready to strip Ricardo Cordoba of his WBA Super Bantamweight crown on Saturday night.

Bernard Dunne has claimed that being named as the bookies' underdog will spur him on in his World title fight with Ricardo Cordoba on Saturday night.