Dunne's next defence likely to be abroad

Boxing:It's increasingly likely that Bernard Dunne's third defence of his EBU European super-bantamweight title will be held outside Ireland.

The Point Depot, home for Dunne's last three fights, including last Saturday's unanimous points victory over the Norwegian Reidar Walstad, closes for renovation on August 31st, although Dunne's manager, Brian Peters, does have the venue reserved for August 25th.

In a new twist, the prospective Belfast promoter Brian Magee, along with a "major English promoter", has signed a deal to represent the mandatory challenger, the undefeated (16-0) Spaniard Kiko Martinez.

Magee is expected to make a purse bid to the EBU offices in Rome before the July 17th deadline. "It doesn't matter where or when Bernard fights Martinez because he will prove that he is a truly world-class operator when he does," said Peters yesterday.

"This will be a career-defining fight for Bernard, and regardless of the date or venue I've no doubt that he'll turn in the best performance of his career."

Dunne is adamant his next fight will be against Martinez.

"It's the one I want," he said. "There's no one else left in Europe for me to fight at this stage. Fight Martinez and then hopefully push on. What dates we do it on I don't know, but Martinez is the guy I want next."

Dunne is now ranked in the top 10 of the IBF and WBO and 11th in the WBC, so provided he beats Martinez a world title fight looks possible next year, with Dublin remaining a potential venue and IBF champion Steve Moliter the primary target.

RTÉ have confirmed an average 550,000 viewers tuned in to last Saturday's fight at The Point, the audience peaking at 607,000 during the final minute of round 12.

Middleweight Andy Lee from Limerick, boxing out of the Kronk Boxing Gym in Detroit, will have his 10th professional fight, against Engin Erdogan of Salzburg, Austria, on July 7th at the Koln Arena, Koln, Germany.

The fight will be on the undercard of the IBO and IBF world heavyweight title clash between the champion, Wladimir Klitschko, and the challenger Lamon Brewster.