Dunne inspired by Clones Cyclone
Saturday, 11 November 2006Bernard Dunne is out to emulate his boyhood hero Barry McGuigan by landing a European title before going in search of world honours.
Tonight before a 7,000 sell-out crowd in his home city of Dublin, Dunne clashes with Esham Pickering for the European super-bantamweight title.
'I have a signed picture of myself and Barry when I was a kid and it has pride of place on the mantle-piece at home and now I have my chance to do what he did in front of a sell-out crowd in Dublin,' said Dunne.
'I spoke to him earlier this week. He's always there to give me good advice and he'll be there on the night and you know I just can't wait to get in there and do the business because I know that I'm ready and if I can go some way to emulating Barry that would be fantastic.'
Unbeaten Dunne is stepping up for the hardest test of his career by far, despite 14 wins in the States in the early part of his career under the coaching of top trainer Freddie Roach and then a further seven when he switched his base back to Dublin.
The expectation has grown around the charismatic Dubliner but he insists the time has come for him to prove that he has what it takes to go right to the top, starting with victory over Pickering in The Point.
'Look, I was born to do this. This is what I do and I love it and I'm going to show the fans that I'm the real deal,' added Dunne.
'With 7,000 people there cheering me on I can only imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like. The people have really got behind me and now it's up to me to deliver.
'And you know I always knew that I would get to this stage. There's no doubt that Pickering is a step up in class for me because he's world class and he lost a tough fight with Michael Hunter.
'But now it is my time I am ready to beat Pickering and then start thinking about a world title fight.'
Pickering, however, believes that he can burst the bubble of hype surrounding Ireland's rising prospect.
'I respect Dunne as a fighter, he's 21 and zero but I will expose him at this level. This is his first real acid test but I've the experience of many 12-rounders and I've fought all over the place,' said Pickering.
'I believe that I have the edge in power and I'm a young 30-year-old with plenty left. I still haven't fulfilled my true potential but I hope to show that on Saturday night and when I hit him right he'll be going down.
'People are saying to me that this a make-or-break fight but for me I just see this as the fight which is going to be the making of me.'
