A trio of European titles are on the line this Saturday night (June 17, 2017) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as promoter Frank Warren and his Queensberry Promotions bring a 10-fight boxing card to the Waterfront Hall.
The featured fight comes at lightweight, as WBO European champion Craig Evans (16-1-2) of the U.K. travels to hostile territory to face the challenge of Ireland’s Stephen Ormond (24-3). Ormond is making his second bid for the WBO’s European title after taking a loss to England’s Terry Flanagan via DQ back in February of 2015. Ormond also took an unexpected October of 2016 setback against Zoltan Szabo in a six-round bout he took to stay busy, but he avenged that loss and has gone 3-0 since then to earn this shot. Evans won the title this past November when he finally defeated arch-rival Thomas Stalker by a narrow unanimous decision. The two had fought twice previously with the vacant belt on the line, and the first two times saw the fights end in draws. The sportbooks have this as a near Pick’em fight.
A vacant IBF European title is also in play for the 130-pound super featherweight category, as Jono Carroll (13-0) takes on John Quigley (14-0). Both men are undefeated, and each has fought several matches on the road outside of their home countries, so the experience level is about the same. Quigley is out of Britain while Carroll is an Australian who lives in Ireland, and they are looking to step up into the regional title picture. One thing is for sure, this bout is likely going the distance, with the two combining for just four knockouts in 27 career fights between them.
At flyweight, popular Irish Olympian Paddy Barnes (2-0) will return to take on veteran Silvio Olteanu (16-11-1) for the vacant WBO European belt as well. Barnes won Olympic bronze medals in 2008 and 2012, and he turned pro after the 2016 games. A long amateur background will see him enter Saturday’s fight at 30 years old, so he is attempting to fast track his career and get into the world title picture quickly. In Olteanu, the matchmakers selected a fighter who is just 2-5 in his last seven fights, resulting in the widest line of the evening.
Waterfront Hall – Belfast, Northern Ireland
Super Featherweight – 12 rounds
John Quigley +265
Jono Carroll -325
Lightweight – 10 rounds
Stephen Ormond +100
Craig Evans -120
Flyweight – 10 rounds
Silvio Olteanu +5750
Paddy Barnes -14000
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