CATHY McAleer doesn’t intend to waste any time in her pursuit of a title.
The 40-year-old from Belfast moved to 3-0 when she forced the first stoppage win of her career against Cristina Busuioc at the Europa Hotel on Saturday night and hopes to have an Irish or Commonwealth belt on the line in her next outing
John Breen-coached McAleer came to boxing from a background in martial arts and looks to be improving with every fight.
“It was good to get a stoppage,” she said.
“My opponent had fought Shannon Courtney a couple of months ago and took her all six rounds so it was good to get a stoppage against her.”
McAleer remained composed as Busuioc came out of her corner blazing in the first round. She brought the fight to the former Down ladies’ GAA star who was calm under fire.
“I was waiting and picking my shots and I thought I did pick the shots that were hurting her,” she said.
“I was more composed and I felt good, I felt I was in control of the fight. I have a big fanbase, I’ve always had a big fanbase from the kickboxing and from my business (Mac Fit) and it’s getting bigger. People come along and the next time they bring their friends so it’s growing all the time which is brilliant.”
Promoter Mark Dunlop, who has secured title fights for the likes of James Tennyson, Paul Hyland and Feargal McCrory in the past, intends to move McAleer along quickly.
“Mark is talking about an Irish or Commonwealth title (held by Scotland’s Kirsten Fraser) next, so it’s all down to him and John Breen where we go next but he seems to be quite keen on it.
“There’s no point in hanging about! I’ve started a bit older than a lot of fighters so I want to see how far I can go. I want good tough fights to challenge myself and see where I am – am I good enough to make it to the top or not?
“I feel brilliant and I feel like it’s all going in the right direction for me. Training is going good, my fitness is good and the feedback has been great. I’ve had people coming up to me saying they’ve never seen a female fight before and it was unbelievable.
“The crowd went mental during my fight so they seem to be into it. I just need to keep going and see what comes next.”
There were also impressive stoppage wins for Feargal McCrory, Tommy McCarthy and lightweight James Tennyson on Saturday night.
PAUL Hyland jnr was in Milan, Italy yesterday for the official press conference to announce his European Lightweight title clash with Francesco Patera on June 28.
‘Hylo’ goes into the fight on the back of two comeback wins after he lost a British title challenge to Lewis Ritson in June last year. Patera was a surprise winner when he met the hard-hitting Geordie for the then vacant European belt in October but hard-working Hyland is confident he can win in Milan next month.
“This is the reason why I box, it’s for big fights like this,” he said.
“Patera is a great champion.
“He has a brilliant style but I think his style is going to suit me and I’m going to prepare hard for the next few weeks for when I meet him in the ring.”
Meanwhile, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn was also at yesterday’s press conference and predicts an “outstanding fight” between Hyland and Patera.
“We flew Francesco Pantera over to the UK recently to get beat by one of our stars (Ritson) recently and unfortunately, or fortunately depending on which way you look at it, he won,” he said.
“Paul Hyland is an excellent fighter. This is an outstanding fight, a brilliant second main event on the card.”
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder set his sights on Anthony Joshua after defending his world title with a brutal first-round knockout of Dominic Breazeale in New York.
The American sent Breazeale crashing to the canvas with a steamroller right hand just two minutes and 17 seconds into the opener at the Barclays Centre.
The devastating knockout extended the 33-year-old's unbeaten record to 41 wins and a draw from 42 bouts.
Wilder, who drew with Tyson Fury in his last fight in December, and unbeaten WBO, WBA and IBF champion Joshua have struggled to agree terms on a bout in the past.
But Wilder is adamant they will come face to face in the ring, telling Sky Sports: "It will happen. I believe in all my heart it will happen.
"I don't want this to be a (Lennox) Lewis and (Riddick) Bowe situation.
"The heavyweight division is so lit right now, it's so on fire now, and I have an obligation to give the fans what they want. I always say how we can try, but it is going to come back around.
"And the next time it does, the discussion, the deal that me and Joshua are trying to make, then I think something is going to get done.
"Like I tell people, I just want them to have patience, and comes patience comes time. Let us have moments and let us do what we do. When things go silent, that's when the magic happens."
Wilder also believes a rematch with Fury is on the cards.
Despite two knockdowns, many felt Fury had outboxed Wilder only for the fight to end in a controversial draw.
"The rematch will happen, like all these other fights will happen," he said. "The great thing is all these fights are in discussion. The big fights will happen."
