Dunne declines fight with Munroe

FRANK MALONEY has blasted Dubliner Bernard Dunne for blowing his chance of a shot at European super-bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe. Maloney offered Dunne the opportunity to challenge Munroe in England on November 22 but the Irishman's manager Brian Peters was clearly running scared and refused the fight. When the show was scrapped, the bill was moved to Dublin City University on December 18 meaning Dunne would have had crucial advantage on home soil. Maloney laughed: "Isn't it funny they wanted the fight in Dublin and if they signed the deal they would have got their wish. "Dunne has blown his chance of appearing on one of the biggest Irish cards for years." Dunne will now have to wait at least one year to become mandatory challenge as Kiko Martinez who flattened him in 86 seconds last year is currently in that position. Maloney added: "If Dunne and Peters want to get glimpse of Munroe they are welcome to watch him defend his title against Italian Fabrizio Trotta. "In fact they can sit in one of Brian's pubs and watch the fight on Sky Sports. There will be plenty room because everybody will be at the arena watching Darren Sutherland." Ireland's Olympic bronze medallist Sutherland makes his highly anticipated debut when he boxes a six round super-middleweight bout. Sutherland is a student at DCU but is currently taking a break to fulfil his dream of becoming a world champion. Other boxers on the star studded bill include Irish light-middleweight champion Jamie Moore and London based Irishman Martin Powers. Two Commonwealth titles see Craig Watson defend his welterweight crown against Adnan Amar, while Bantamweight Jason Booth puts his crown on the line against Sean Hughes. Tickets for the big Dublin bill are available from www.frankmaloney.com, www.ticketmaster.ie or by calling 0871 226 1508.