Pierce O’Leary returns to the 3Arena in Dublin on August 1 to face Mark Chamberlain in a 12-round junior welterweight clash.
The fight was originally scheduled for March, but Chamberlain withdrew due to illness. On that same card, O’Leary stayed active and impressed by stopping late replacement Maxi Hughes in five rounds to capture the IBO super-lightweight world title in front of a sold-out Dublin crowd.
O’Leary (19-0, 11 KOs), now 26, has quickly become one of Ireland’s standout boxing figures. His March breakthrough win turned him into a hometown star, with strong support building around him after his first professional fight in Dublin.
He trains out of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club under coach Philip Keogh, alongside elite names such as Olympic champion Kellie Harrington, in an environment that continues to produce top-level talent from the north inner city.
Watch O'Leary vs. Maxi Hughes highlights: Watch
Chamberlain (17-1-1, 12 KOs) enters the fight looking to rebound from the only defeat of his career. The Englishman’s lone loss came against Josh Padley, who has since continued his rise with strong performances, including a credible showing against Shakur Stevenson. So Chamberlain now gets another major opportunity at 140 pounds against the unbeaten O’Leary.
