Professional boxing returns to the National Stadium in Dublin next month when the World Boxing Union (WBU) light weltert-weight champion, Jimmy "Shea" Neary, defends his title against American challenger Mike Griffith on April 17th.

Neary, referred to in his promotional material as "The Shamrock Express", has adopted the name Shea as a tribute to his late father, whose name it was.

Neary, whose parents were born in Dublin, was raised in Liverpool and, after an undistinguished career among the amateurs, turned professional at the advanced age of 26. Now, turned 30, he is undefeated after 21 bouts. He will be supported at the National Stadium by relatives from Liverpool and Dublin.

He won the WBU belt when he out-pointed the American Daryl Tyson (no relation), in Liverpool in October 1996 and has defended it successfully four times. Although the WBU is one of the lesser boxing associations, coming behind the WBC, WBA and WBO as far as status is concerned, Neary attracted considerable attention when he beat his highly-rated fellow Liverpudlian, Andy Holligan, stopping him in the sixth round in a huge marquee in Stanley Park.

The Neary fight will top the bill at the rather more modest National Stadium and will be broadcast live on ITV. Ringside seats will cost £100 with other seats available at £75, £50 and £35.

The bill is being put together by the Liverpool promoters Munro and Hyland Brothers. It will also feature several top-ranking Irish boxers, such as Olympic champion Michael Carruth, who is the WBU welterweight champion, the highly promising Cathal O'Grady from Meath, and Jim Rock and Paschal Collins from Dublin. Collins is the younger brother of former world super middleweight champion Steve Collins.

The bill is being supported by the Meath businessman and promoter Brian Peters.