Clash is not a Dunne deal

BERNARD DUNNE was reluctant to make any predictions other than to say that he is not going to lose this fight when he took time out to relax yesterday in advance of tomorrow night’s defence of his European Super-Bantamweight title against Yersin Jailauov at The Point.

“I am really in great form. I have trained hard — all the hard work is done — and I am looking forward to this one,” the unbeaten Dubliner said.

A short route victory is what everyone is looking for right now — the fans want it and deep down Dunne wants it to reinforce his position as champion and send out a clear message that he is world title material.

Few boxers around will take the punishment Dunne dished out to Esham Pickering and it will be surprising if Yersin Jailauov survives beyond the six rounds.

“I honestly don’t know how far this fight will go,” Dunne insisted. “I can just say right now that I am in the best shape of my life and I am in great form.

“But let’s not forget that Jailauov has had seven weeks to prepare for this fight and he is bound to be in the shape of his life, too. He has boxed some very useful fighters and I am going to treat him with the respect he deserves.

“At the end of the day the win is what is important to me and I won’t be taking any unnecessary risks. This is a big fight for Yersin Jailauov. This is his opportunity to become European champion.”

Yersin Jailauov, a 29-year-old from Shymkent in Kazakhstan, launched his pro career in St. Petersburg in Russia back in 2000 and won his first 14 fights before travelling to Angthong in Thailand where he lost to local hero, Komrit Lukkuongmuekol, who was also unbeaten at the time, in a fight for the Pacific Area title.

Among his victims is Yuri Voronin who almost caused a sensation at the end of his fight with Bernard Dunne at the National Stadium when he caught the Dubliner with a big right hand that left him hanging on. Since then Voronin has stepped up a division and will challenge the unbeaten Italian southpaw, Alberto Servidei, for the vacant European featherweight crown on May 25.

Jailauov’s losses to date have been against notables like the future WBA champion, Somsak Sitchatchawal in Thailand and Michael Hunter in a European title fight in Hartlepool just over a year ago and that was on a controversial second round stoppage.

The absence of Matthew Macklin and Neil Sinclair due to injuries they picked up in training has robbed the undercard of two exciting contests.

Jason McKay from Banbridge, who was to fight Macklin for the Irish title, now meets Leeds super-middleweight, Darren Rhodes.

Jim Rock keeps coming back and he steps in again to complete an exciting programme. This time he meets Szabolcs Rimovszky from Hungary while Stephen Haughian, fresh from his win at Cork City Hall, makes a quick return against Brighton light-welterweight, Chill John.

But there will be widespread interest in the heavyweight contest involving Francesco Pianeta of Italy and the Latvian, Alezandre Borhovs.

Pianeta has been singled out for stardom after eight successive wins — all but one inside the distance.

Standing at 6’5”, he is currently based in Germany with Wilfried Sauerland who has predicted that he can match the feats of the heavyweight giants, Nicolay Valuev and the Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir.

The full card for tomorrow night is:

European Super-Bantamweight title defence 12 Rds: Bernard Dunne (Ireland) v Yersin Jailuov (Kazakhstan).

Heavyweight, 8 Rds: Francesco Pianeta (Italy) v Alexandre Borhovs (Latvia).

Middleweight, 8 Rds: Lukasz Wawrzyczek (Poland) v Conroy McIntosh (Wolverhampton).

Light-welterweight, 8 Rds: Stephen Haughian (Lurgan) v Chill John (Brighton).

Light-welterweight, 8 Rds: Scott Jordan (Belfast) v Duncan Cottier (Chingford).

Super-middleweight, 6 Rds: Jim Rock (Dublin) v Szabolcs Rimovszky Hungary).

Super-middleweight, 6 Rds: Jason McKay (Banbridge) v Darren Rhodes (Leeds).

Featherweight, 4 Rds: Paul Truscott (Middlesbrough) v Peter Feher (Slovakia).