McGuigan urges Dunne to turn on the power

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.

“Bernard is a lovely kid, fast hands, good timing, balance, co-ordination and speed but the one thing he lacks at the moment is raw power,” said McGuigan, who lost his world title to Steve Cruze in Las Vegas 21 years ago today.

“The problem is that at the top level, the super-bantamweight is arguably the toughest division in boxing at the moment. Daniel Ponce De Leon, Celestino Caballero is not a devastating puncher, but is very, very good, very clever; Steve Molitor is a good boxer, punches hard — and then you have Daniel Ponce De Leon who could knock a horse out.