Boxing:European super-bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne has confirmed he will defend his title on March 25th in The Point against Yersin Jailauov of Kazakhstan.
The Irishman's team have found it difficult to locate a top 10 fighter to come to Dublin since his victory over Esham Pickering last November was witnessed by over 7,000 fans at the same venue.
Potential challengers were even offered double their biggest pay packet to face the Neilstown fighter, according to Dunne's promoter Brian Peters.
"We offered some opponents twice the money they have ever received before and they still turned us down," he said today.
Peters suspects that the boxing world may have expected Dunne to vacate the belt for a crack at the world title but insists Dunne will get a lot more mileage out of this title, in 2007 alone.
"Maybe some think that Bernard is about to go for a world title and they are holding back for a vacant title fight but Bernard will fight four times this year and they will be defences of his European title.
"Bernard has the class to fight for a world title now but I want him to be a more seasoned 12-round fighter and then we go for the big one."
"This guy is a tough fighter and although he lost in two rounds to Michael Hunter it was a very controversial, premature stoppage," Peters said of the 29-year-old Jailauov, who has won 19 bouts and lost five in his professional career.
Hunter once held Dunne's European title but vacated it to move to another weight division after he beat Pickering in 12-round thriller.
Dunne is expected to sell out The Point again, on the weekend Ireland welcome Wales to Croke Park for their Euro 2008 qualifier.
The Irish middleweight title fight between Matthew Macklin and Jason McKay will also be on the bill.
