Tommy McCarthy: 'Any time the police would come past, everyone would come out throwing bricks'

'When I was a kid, aspiring to be a world champion was almost unattainable, but then you see Carl Frampton doing it'

Tommy McCarthy will defend his cruiserweight against Alexandru Jur in Manchester. “He said he didn’t see anything special in me, so he here to win. He is up for it.” Picture: William Cherry

If Tommy McCarthy’s phone rings next week and he is offered a world title fight, expect him to say yes. McCarthy considers himself a dice roller, someone willing to take a chance and right now that outlook is serving him very well.

The 30-year-old from West Belfast is at the stage where the thoughts of winning a world title are not a faraway dream. Tomorrow night, he defends his European cruiserweight title against Alexandru Jur, of Romania, in Manchester. Victory would put him tantalisingly close to his ultimate goal. After all, the career of Carl Frampton, McCarthy’s old Ireland amateur team-mate, opened his eyes as well as those of many others to what could be achieved with some hard work and dedication.