Casey’s team confident ‘Big Bang’ can claim world title

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.

Rigondeaux, who beat Ricardo Cordoba for the WBA interim world title on his last outing, returned to his base in Texas this week, where he trains under Ronnie Shields, and had a warning for his opponent.

“Casey doesn’t belong in the same ring as me,” he said. “But I admire his courage for wanting to fight me. I’m excited about fighting in Ireland again, where I won my first World Championship as an amateur in 2001.”

Casey admitted yesterday that he is facing a huge assignment after watching DVDs of the two-time Olympic champion over Christmas.

Philip Sutcliffe, who heads up Casey’s coaching team, agreed it is a big ask but insisted Casey, who relinquished his European title to take on this fight, will beat him.

“I’ve been studying Rigondeaux over the holidays and while he is an unbelievable talent I think Willie will beat him,” he said. “It’s going to be tough but we have no doubt that our boy is tougher and he can bang as big as anyone out there.”

Bookmakers are giving odds of 3/1 on a Casey upset. “Willie is quite happy to go into this fight as the underdog. Few people gave him a chance against Paul Hyland in the European title fight and nobody expected him to win Prizefighter,” Daniel Halpin of DolPhil Promotions said.

The pair will meet face to face for the first time in Limerick on Monday week when Rigondeaux embarks on a week-long visit Ireland to promote the fight.

The undercard began to take shape yesterday with Don O’Leary confirming that Ian Timms will fight Michael Sweeney for the Irish Cruiserweight title.

“That’s just one of multiple title fights we’re looking at,” O’Leary said. “And with Ireland playing England in the rugby international earlier, it’s going to be a big day for Irish sport.”

Tickets are now on sale through www.ticketgroup.ie and are priced at €50, €70 and €130 for ringside.

Meanwhile, another sensational year for Irish boxing will be celebrated tonight when the Irish Amateur Boxing Association holds their Annual Awards Night.

The year saw Katie Taylor win her third consecutive world lightweight title, while Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes won gold at the European championships in Moscow before going on to win another gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.