Some indication of what the year holds for Irish amateur boxing may be gleaned at the National Stadium tonight when the first international of the year will be staged with Scotland providing the opposition.

Among the four Irish champions involved will be Eugene McEneaney from the Dealgan club in Louth in the lightweight division. He will meet the Scottish title-holder David Stewart and home supporters will hope that McEneaney's greater strength and experience will give him the edge. Ireland's recently-crowned champion at light-welter, Mark Wickham, from Enniscorthy, will face the promising Lee Sharp, who is a Scottish Eastern district champion, while in the same weight division Paul McCloskey from Derry, who is only 18, will meet Kevin Green, who has boxed previously for his country and who is 19. The former Irish and British champion and Olympic performer, Francis Barrett, will take on Colin McNeill, the Scottish title-holder who has already qualified for the European championships in Belarus in May. Also at welterweight, Robert Murray, who took Barrett the distance in this year's national championships, is pitted against the former Scottish champion, Alan Wolecki.

At light-heavyweight, Alo Kelly, beaten in the final of the championship this year by Alan Sheerin from Swinford, meets the Scottish champion Lee Ramsey in what should be an intriguing contest. There will be two contests at super-heavy with the Irish champion, Stephen Reynolds from Sligo, still uncertain of who his opponent will be following the withdrawal of the international John Cowle, while the beaten Irish finalist, John Kinsella from Crumlin, takes on David McKenna, who is the Western Districts champion.