World Elite finalists Joe Ward has teamed up with the British Lionhearts for the new World Series of Boxing (WSB) which begins next month.
The Westmeath light-heavyweigh, the current European Elite champion, could line out for the Lionhearts versus the Croatia Knights in Gateshead on 16 February.
The Lionhearts and Knights are in a four-team European group which also includes the French Fighting Roosters and Italia Thunder.
Ward won five of six fights for the Lionhearts in the 2012/13 season.
"It’s about giving yourself the opportunity. I look forward to the WSB and boxing with the British Lionhearts," said Ward, a three-time World Elite medallist
Three of Ireland’s eight boxers at Rio 2016, Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan and Steven Donnelly, qualified through the WSB.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Julio La Cruz, who beat Ward in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 World Elite semi-finals and finals, moved up to heavyweight for December’s Cuban championships and won gold.
Elsewhere, the National Under-22 championships and Under-18 Open resume at Dublin’s National Stadium on Friday night.
World and European medallists John Joyce and Gabriel Dossan clash in the U-22 middleweight semi-final.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association are using the U-22 and U-18s as part of their selection process for March’s European U-22 Men’s Championships and April’s European Men’s and Women’s Youth Championships.
In other news, the International Boxing Association will elect a new President in Moscow between 1-4 November this year.
Italy’s Franco Falcinelli is the current AIBA Interim President following the resignation of Ck Wu.
