Perry predicts a Dunne demolition job

BERNARD DUNNE’S amateur coach Peter Perry predicts an early end to the Dubliner’s sell-out homecoming fight at the National Stadium on Saturday (Live RTÉ Two).

Jim Betts will provide the opposition but Perry feels that the English featherweight will be no match for the home town hero who is unbeaten in his 14 professional fights.

“I’ve seen Betts and I don’t think he will be up to this particular challenge. Bernard is just too big a puncher.”

Perry recalled his past pupil with pride. “Bernard came to me as a six year old,” he said. “I used to have to lift him up on a chair so he could hit the ball but I have had the pleasure of watching him develop over the years.

“He always had that something that is special with boxers. He just stays there, he doesn’t come home. Boxers will throw two punches and they’ll step back. Bernard throws 10 or 12 punches and he goes forward.

“I think he is one of the all time greats. The only thing I found sad about it, is that he came back from America because I think there is no way that he wouldn’t have won a world title.”

Since his debut at the National Stadium people have been comparing him to Barry McGuigan but Perry feels he is better.

“He is a better puncher than Barry,” he said. “McGuigan has a great heart and you cannot give that to a boxer. You would never knock McGuigan. I was away with him several times in different countries and when he got in there he went for it. He did what he was told and you never had to tell him something twice. He did not know how to step back and he was a gentleman inside and outside the ring. He was always a pleasure to work with.”

Promoter Brian Peters apologised to fans after tickets were sold out in just 24 hours ­ disappointing thousands. Peters, who was associated with events like the Collins-Eubank world title fight in Millstreet, made his first foray into promoting big fights when he staged the Wayne McCullough-Boualem Belkif fight at the National Basketball Arena 12 years ago.

And he has put an exciting card together for Saturday night when Francis Barrett, who carried the Irish flag at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, will make his long overdue first appearance in Ireland as a pro and another Dubliner, Jim Rock, will put his Irish super middleweight title on the line against Peter Jackson whose Irish parentage earns him the shot.

Robbie Murray, a cousin of Rock, and rookie Paul Hyland, having his second bout as a pro, are both unbeaten while big Colin Kenna, brother of Ireland international soccer star, Jeff will box English heavyweight, Paul Kingston.