Ahead of what promises to be a special night of boxing in Belfast, Commonwealth super-flyweight champion Jamie Conlan and Irish Olympic legend Paddy Barnes have weighed in for their homecoming fight card on Saturday night.
The Titanic Exhibition Centre will play host to 'The Homecoming', as Barnes, Conlan and a host of talented young Irish fighters throw down on home soil - Barnes for the first time as a professional, and for the first time in either code since 2007.
And it was the two-time Olympic bronze medallist who weighed in first in front of an excited Belfast faithful.
Irish amateur legend @paddyb_ireland weighs-in at 8st 6.5lbs ahead of his professional debut on Saturday #Homecoming pic.twitter.com/HKbqek88jm
— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) November 4, 2016
Good chat with @paddyb_ireland on why he turned down a title shot in his first pro fight & NYC on Patrick's Weekend. https://t.co/XaZPHAYOy6 pic.twitter.com/dktC2PLAQ2
— Gavan Casey (@GavanCasey) October 19, 2016
'The Mexican' - the elder Conlan boxer - was next, and looked relaxed as he winds down for a fight with unheralded Hungarian David Koos. A win for the 17-0(11KOs) Conlan guarantees him a final eliminator for the WBO world title next year.
The Mexican @JamieConlan11 comes in at 8st 5.25lbs ??#Homecoming pic.twitter.com/H0eb6Nk4Q1
— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) November 4, 2016
Conlan headlines in his hometown, with the debuting Barnes offering chief support on a Frank Warren card brimful of Irish talent. Stephen Ormond, Declan Geraghty, Seán 'Big Sexy' Turner, Con Sheehan, Steven Ward, Marco McCullough and Philip Sutcliffe Jr are all involved, as are Tyrone McKenna and Seán Creagh, who face off in one of the most feverishly anticipated all-Irish contests in recent memory.
To our knowledge all fights barring Geraghty and Turner's will be broadcast live on BoxNation, and there's good news for Sky customers who are keen to watch the card and neither have the channel nor can travel to Belfast: This weekend you can use the promo code THELEGEND to subscribe to BoxNation free-of-charge, and tune in for a mammoth night of Irish boxing. All of that is available on their website.
There's also the added bonus of getting to see Manny Pacquiao versus Jessie Vargas for the WBO World welterweight title on the same network later on Saturday night/Sunday morning, but it's all about Conlan, Barnes and Belfast as far as we're concerned.
Weigh in done today! Fight night tomorrow! #Homecoming #belfast #boxing pic.twitter.com/4LVEgX0YJi
— Paddy Barnes OLY (@paddyb_ireland) November 4, 2016
