PADDY Barnes takes a step up in class for his second professional fight when he meets experienced Argentine Adrian Dimas Garzon (10-21) over eight rounds at the Waterfront Hall on March 10.
‘The Wee Man’ didn’t get a chance to show what he was capable of when he tangled with roughhouse Bulgarian Stefan Slavchev on his debut at the Titanic Exhibition Centre last November.
Slavchev had already been warned by referee Hugh Russell jnr when he was disqualified for dangerously hoisting Barnes over his shoulder in the fourth of the scheduled six rounds.
He hasn’t fought since and flyweight Barnes – who hopes to fight for the European title in his next contest - will be keen to kick on live on BoxNation.
However, Garzon will be no pushover. He was knocked out by Barnes’ MTK (formerly MGM) stablemate Jamie Conlan in 2015, but then went the eight-round distance with former British, Commonwealth and EBU champion Kevin Satchell last year.
“He’s an experienced lad and you can’t look past him,” said Barnes.
“He’s small, he’s got good hands and, from what I’ve seen of him, he looks a good fighter.
“The last fella (Slavchev) ran away and held, but Garzon hopefully will stand there and trade a bit. I started out with a six-rounder and now I’m stepping up to eight so hopefully, in my third fight, I’ll get a shot at the European title.”
Barnes has held his training gym at the MTK in Glasgow and said yesterday that training had gone well for him.
“Training has gone brilliant,” he said. “I’m in brilliant shape.”
Meanwhile, Conlan tops the Waterfront Hall bill when he meets Yader Cardoza (21-10-1) for the vacant WBC International Super-Flyweight title.
“Expect fireworks,” said ‘the Mexican’.
“This is a great opportunity to get my hands on another belt and I’m not going to waste it. Cardoza has fought at world level but that belt has my name on it and I'm going to send my fans home happy.
“I need to get in there and get the job done. My team has really pushed me forward and we’ve been making some great progress over the past few months.
“There’s some huge fights out there for me and I’m going to kick the year off with a new belt around my waist.”
Also on the bill, emerging light-heavyweight talent Steven Ward aims to improve his unbeaten record to 3-0 and amateur welterweight star Lewis Crocker makes his highly-anticipated professional debut in his home city.
WBC International Super-Flyweight title: Jamie Conlan (18-0) v Yarder Cardoza (12-10-1)
Irish Super-featherweight Championship: Declan Geraghty (13-1) v James Tennyson (17-2)
BUI Celtic Super-Lightweight Championship: Tyrone McKenna (12-10-1) v Jake Hanney (5-0)
Flyweight: Paddy Barnes (1-0) v Adrian Dimas Garzon (10-21)
Super-lightweight: Phil Sutcliffe jnr (12-1) v Lee Gillespie (7-1)
Featherweight: Marco McCullough (16-3) v TBC
Heavyweight: Con Sheehan (4-0) v TBC
Middleweight: Troy Williamson (2-0) v TBC
Light-heavyweight: Steven Ward (2-0) v Streby Margai (debut)
Welterweight: Lewis Crocker (debut) v TBC
