Dunne steps up after joining Sugar Ray camp

BOXER Bernard Dunne has been signed up by Sugar Ray Leonard with the talented Dubliner slated for his first bout in a week in Buffalo, New York.

His manager Brian Peters said last night that Dunne would fight Tony Davis, last year’s Pam Am silver medallist who has won both his professional fights to date by knock out.

“This is a huge step up in class,” Peters said. “But Freddie (Roach), his trainer has no doubt and neither do I Ben (as he’s called in America) is ready for it. It is the natural progression. He, too, has won both his fights inside the distance.

Since going to the US he has disposed of Rodrigo Ortez and Christian Cabrera by second round stoppages and it was in the latter contest on August 2 that he caught the eye of the former Olympic and world champion.

“I did not see it but the boys told me that Sugar Ray had taken just a passing interest in all of the other contests but when Dunne went into action he put his hands on his knees and watched his every move,” Peters said.

“When Ben fought on our card in August, my partner Bjorn Rebney and I looked at each other in amazement,” Sugar Ray said. “We knew right then that this young man had tremendous skills and the potential to really be something special. When sitting down with Ben after that fight we learned he was just as impressive outside of the ring as he was inside.

The 22-year-old former winner of an Irish Examiner Junior sports star award is keeping the best of company.

He currently spars with Johnny Tapio, the four-times world champion, who is in training for a meeting with Marco Antonio Barrera, Naseem Hamed’s.