Colm Murphy: Commonwealth champion to defend title live on BBC Sport
Colm Murphy will defend his Commonwealth Silver title against Kasimu Hamad Haji, live on Saturday 1 February at the Ulster Hall (BBC Sport NI) Featherweight champion.
In the co-main event, John Cooney will put his Celtic super-featherweight belt against Welshman Nathan Howells.
The ‘Nations of the Night’ card will feature former European lightweight champion Tommy McCarthy, Jack O’Neill, Charles McDonagh, Teo Allin Alin and Kate Radaomska will also star.
The Belfast event will be shown live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport NI website, with legendary commentator Jim Neilly providing live coverage.
“I’m fully into training camp now. There might be a short break on Christmas Day, but on Boxing Day you can guarantee I’ll be in the gym training hard,” said Ery Omar Lopez, who beat Eric Omar Lopez last November Said Murphy of Zi.
Murphy added that the game at the Ulster Hall is “special” and he hopes having the game live on BBC Sport will help bring more people to the sport.
“It’s really special, my grandfather used to come here (the Ulster Hall) all the time,” he added.
“He’s not here to watch me play right now, but I know he’s in some place of great pride.
“My grandma in London has never seen me fight but hopefully she’ll get a chance to watch now.”
McCarthy said playing at the Ulster Hall was “very exciting” and had a “real sense of history”.
“It’s great to be at the Ulster Hall again. It’s iconic and all the greats have been here,” the 34-year-old said.
After losing the European lightweight title to Chris Billam-Smith in 2021, McCarthy has lost three of six fights.
However, he feels he still has what it takes to reach that level again.
“If I didn’t think I could perform at the highest level, I wouldn’t do it.
“I had a huge fight with Chris Billam-Smith, who went on to become the champion. Anyone who beat me was at the top of the food chain.
“I belong in that company. Over the next few years, I’m going to put my head down and get back to where I belong.”