‘Big Bang’ braced for the big guns

WILLIE “BIG BANG” CASEY will not be the only boxer with bigger things on his mind at the CityWest Hotel tonight.

Casey has intimated that he will be gunning for either Kiko Martinez or Dublin super-bantamweight Paul Hyland after he takes care of business but Dean Byrne has returned to his native city in pursuit of the unbeaten Cavan light welterweight, Andy Murray.

While Murray has been peddling his talents on home turf – he has won Irish professional titles at both lightweight and light welterweight – Byrne has been hammering out a reputation for himself on foreign fields.

During a spell Down Under he won the Australian title and he did enough to attract the attention of the legendary trainer, Freddie Roach, who welcomed him into his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

The 25-year-old Dubliner, however, has returned to Dublin for tonight’s 10-bout extravaganza and a scheduled six-round light welterweight showdown with Konstantins Sakara from Latvia but he insists his mind is really on an Irish title clash with Cavan man Murray. “Andy Murray, get ready because I’m coming to get you – either vacate the title while you can or get in shape quick, because I’m going to take it off you either way,” he said.

“I’m feeling sharp and looking forward to putting on a good show for all the fans, this is my first Irish performance so you can expect fireworks.

“Right now I’m looking at the lads at my weight who are in the way right now. Andy Murray is one and Frankie Gavin is another. I hope Andy doesn’t shy from this one, it would be a smashing fight but he won’t be appearing on another ‘Undefeateds’ card once I’m finished with him.”

Sakara, a 27-year-old from Olaine, will be making his second appearance in Dublin. Two years ago he was outpointed in the National Stadium by the now retired Oisin Fagan, who was subsequently stopped in five rounds when he challenged Andy Murray for the Irish title at the same venue six months ago.

Willie “Big Bang” Casey will be appearing in his 10th professional fight when he touches gloves with the former Italian bantamweight champion, Emiliano Salvani, in a bout that is scheduled for eight rounds. The Limerick “Prizefighter” hero was not overawed when he came face to face with Kiko Martinez at a press conference in Croke Park midweek when he was quick to point out that the Spaniard “got lucky” with Bernard Dunne the fateful night he stripped the Dubliner of his European title.

“He likes to scare people before a fight but he does not scare me,” he said. “After Saturday night I will be ranked and that means I will be a contender for a European title fight.”