(June 20, 2019) — A pair of MTK Global Fight Nights featuring many of Europe’s top up-and-comers will be featured this weekend on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service.
On Friday, from the historic Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Steven “The Quiet Man” Ward will face off against Liam Conroy in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO European light heavyweight title. The following day, from Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, 22-year-old sensation Lee McGregor will make the first defense of his Commonwealth bantamweight title against Scott Allan in a 12-round showdown.
The Ward-Conroy and McGregor-Allan cards will begin at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Ward (11-0, 4 KOs) will be taking part in only his second scheduled 10-rounder, but he has kept busy in the paid ranks, scoring dominant victories in March and April of this year. He will be taking a big step up in class versus Conroy (17-4-1, 9 KOs), a former English light heavyweight champion who made two defenses of that title. Conroy was knocked out in three rounds in March by top prospect Joshua Buatsi for the vacant British light heavyweight title, but he came back in May to score a second-round knockout over Elvis Dube.
McGregor (6-0, 5 KOs), a 22-year-old from Edinburgh, Scotland, won the Commonwealth title last October with a 12th-round knockout over Thomas Essomba. He returned last month in a six-round non-title bout, scoring a six-round decision over journeyman Brett Fidoe. Allan (9-3-1, 0 KOs) has won two in a row, most notably defeating Gary Rae (8-0 at the time) via unanimous decision to pick up the Celtic bantamweight belt.
Friday’s stream will feature the following bouts:
- Darragh “Super” Foley (17-3-1, 9 KOs) will battle fellow southpaw Tyrone McKenna (18-1-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBC International super lightweight title. McKenna has won two in a row since a competitive decision loss to top contender Jack Catterall, while Foley has won two straight since a points loss to Akeem Ennis-Brown for the vacant IBF European 140-pound strap.
- Welterweight prospect Liam Wells (5-0, 2 KOs) will take a giant step up in class versus Paddy Gallagher (15-5, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
- Belfast native Lewis Crocker (8-0, 6 KOs) will aim for his second win in as many months against the rugged Karim Aliliche (11-8-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight tilt.
Saturday’s stream will also include:
- Scotland’s Kieran Smith (14-0, 7 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBC International silver super welterweight belt in a 10-rounder versus Mexican veteran Ivan Montero (21-3, 9 KOs).
- In an eight-round super lightweight contest, Lewis “Kid Caramel” Benson (11-2, 2 KOs) will face longtime spoiler Renald Garrido (24-23-3, 6 KOs).
- Super lightweight prospect Craig MacIntyre (10-0-1, 3 KOs) will fight veteran Chris Adaway (9-56-4, 1 KO) in a six-rounder
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