Belfast’s Carl Frampton looks ahead to the first defence of his IBF super-bantamweight world championship against Californian Chris Avalos at the Odyssey Arena tonight.

Chris Avalos has branded Carl Frampton a dancing "fairy" as he continued his efforts to rile the champion ahead of Saturday night’s world-title showdown in Belfast.

‘The Hitman’ is first on the hitlist for Ireland's new champ.

UTV Ireland have announced they have secured the exclusive rights to broadcast Belfast boxer Carl Frampton’s world title defence on February 28.

Kelly O’Brien loves ice hockey and isn’t adverse to hanging out at pop-up ice skating rinks in December so she couldn’t resist trying out Red Bull extreme ice skating.

Pop megastar Beyonce generated a cool €1m a night in box office receipts during her four-gig stint at the 3Arena in Dublin last year.

Carl Frampton ended Northern Ireland’s long wait for another boxing world champion on a night to savour in Belfast last night as he pounded Kiko Martinez to swipe away the Spaniard’s title.

The iceberg that is Kiko Martinez will be in the opposite corner to Carl Frampton tonight, in a ring which stands on the slipway from which the Titanic was launched.

MUSIC NEWS: Neil Young has already found a replacement bassist for Billy Talbot after the Crazy Horse founding member suffered a "mild stroke".

Barry McGuigan has hailed Carl Frampton’s world-title challenge as a ‘statement event’ after unveiling Belfast’s Titanic Quarter as the novel location for a September 6 date with IBF champion Kiko Martinez.

Kasabian have announced two Irish dates in December as part of an autumn arena tour.

Enfant terrible Miley Cyrus enjoyed a little bit of downtime in Dublin last night between gigs on her BANGERZ tour.

Miley Cyrus will have "a nurse on standby" during her upcoming Irish and UK tour.

Boxing

Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton is primed for the biggest fight of his life at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast tonight.

The O2 in Dublin is paying for 23 Gardaí to police tonight's Hardwell gig.

PSNI chief inspector Mark McEwan has said a small quantity of suspected drugs was seized outside the Odyssey Arena in the wake of a major incident that saw 17 teenagers taken to hospital.

Up to 108 young people have been treated by paramedics for the effects of drink and drugs outside a concert in Belfast.

Fourteen young people were treated in hospital overnight after dozens of concert-goers fell ill in Belfast.

Sellout shows by One Direction and Beyoncé helped generate a 6% increase in box office receipts — to $43.7m (€32m) — at the O2 in Dublin last year.

Miley Cyrus is bringing her Bangerz tour to Ireland.

Dolly Parton has announced a string of European dates for 2014.

Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton is on the cusp of an IBF world title shot after a six-round demolition job on Jeremy Parodi at a sold-out Odyssey Arena in his native Belfast on Saturday night.

Carl Frampton is on the verge of a world title tilt after an impressive sixth-round knockout of France’s Jeremy Parodi in Belfast last night.

The Script’s story of conquering the music world continued last year with figures showing that profits from two firms controlled by band members topped £710,000 (€822,000) for 2012.

The Woodie’s DIY National Senior Indoor Championships are set for a major facelift this weekend in Athlone with some of Ireland’s top class athletes set to compete alongside the country’s leading club athletes.

Rock legends The Who have revealed they received threats from the IRA when they first played in Ireland.

One punch, that’s all it took, one punch so short and so sharp that many in the raucous partisan 4,000 crowd in Belfast’s fabulous Odyssey Arena missed it.

Carl Frampton secured the European super-bantamweight title this evening with a stunning ninth-round knockout of Kiko Martinez in Belfast.

Carl Frampton hopes an impressive victory in the Odyssey Arena tonight will help secure a coveted world title shot.

Kiko Martinez made it to Belfast for fight week at the third time of asking, and at yesterday’s ‘Unfinished Business’ press conference vowed he won’t be leaving the city without his European title.

Legendary rock band The Who are to perform their iconic 1973 double album 'Quadrophenia' during their upcoming tour of Ireland and the UK, it was announced today.

Tyson Fury recorded his 20th consecutive win in Belfast on Saturday night to edge a step closer to a shot at the WBC World heavyweight title.

Tyson Fury’s camp are touting Croke Park or Old Trafford as possible venues for a world title fight with one of the Klitschko brothers if Fury beats Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast tonight.

There used be a time when Ireland produced heavyweight boxers who shook the world but in the past 100 years that has become a rarity.

Cheryl Cole's tour will cost €2.5m to insure.

Carl Frampton believes that a win over Canadian super-bantamweight Steve Molitor in his home town of Belfast tonight will be the key to a world title shot.

Riot police were called to Belfast’s Odyssey Arena after a mass brawl erupted during the Irish heavyweight championship title fight on Saturday night.

Whether the vacant Irish title will be up for grabs when Martin Rogan and Tyson Fury clash at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast tonight appears to be contingent on whether Rogan signs up for a 12-rounder.

Derval O’Rourke had a grin of satisfaction after reclaiming her 60m hurdles title at the Woodies DIY Irish indoor championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast yesterday in 8.21 secs — modest by her standards.

Van Morrison is dismissive of fame, but his music will endure despite his aloofness, says John Minihan

Noel Gallagher has confirmed Reverend and the Makers will support him on his forthcoming tour, which includes a February 17 gig in Dublin.

The Odyssey Arena in Belfast has been confirmed as the host venue for the upcoming Woodie's DIY Irish Indoor Championships.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have been confirmed as the support act for the Red Hot Chili Pepper's summer gig in Dublin.