Boxing: CUBA GOOD RING JUNIOR; WE'RE HAVANA BALL Irish boxing tipped to be Europe's answer to kings of amateur game.

Byline: BY MICHAEL SCULLY

IRISH amateur boxing can become the Cuba of Europe - with a little help from the pro game.

That was the claim made yesterday as it was revealed that the finest collection of Irish pro and amateur boxers ever assembled will fight at the 02 Arena in Dublin on March 21.

Olympic medallists Kenny Egan and Paddy Barnes, inset, will be on the undercard of Bernard Dunne's challenge for the WBA superbantamweight title.

Two time female world champion Katie Taylor has also been added to the bill, along with world junior champ Ray Moylette and pros Jim Rock and Andy Murray.

With three world champions signed up, there will be 10 fights on the night - five pro and five amateur - after the green light was given by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association at a central council meeting on Saturday.

It's a completely new undertaking and one that should secure the 9,000 ticket sales needed for the event to be a sell-out, with most of the ringside seats already snapped up.

"We have to be more innovative with the recession out there," said promoter Brian Peters.

"It's a very unusual celebration about all that is good about Irish boxing."

Passionate IABA vice-president Tommy Murphy said that there had only recently been a change in the constitution of the World and European governing bodies to allow Pro-Am nights like this one to go ahead.

"The boxing game has changed," said Murphy. "Irish boxing has come from the bottom of the pile to third or fourth in the world.

"We want to be the Cuba of Europe and we will do better if we work together with the pros. There will be more money for the IABA for development. We couldn't do this before because of the stringent rules but if we don't change we will get left behind.

"But amateur boxing in this country is on a high and as Kenny Egan has shown and Katie Taylor has also shown, if you stick with it the rewards will come."

Olympic silver medallist Egan begins the defence of the national title he has defended successfully on seven successive occasions this weekend, and will be part of the Ireland side that takes on America on February 27.

On March 21, Egan will get a taste of what he decided to pass up by remaining amateur.

But he insists he made the right choice in turning down the bright lights of the pro game.

"I'm 100 per cent behind my decision, even though it took me four months," said Egan. "I'm an amateur boxer and will stay that way until 2012, and want to lead Ireland at the next Olympics."

Egan grew up in Neilstown, the same area as Dunne. "We are good friends - Bernard is a good champion and hopefully he'll do the business on the night."

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PICK OF BUNCH Kenny Egan and Katie Taylor will feature on the undercard of Bernard Dunne's WBA title shot