Paddy Barnes says Irish boxing does not get enough respect

Barnes, Carl Frampton and Jamie Conlan will all fight on the same card at the SSE Arena on Saturday

Paddy Barnes says Irish boxing does not get enough respect, as he prepares for his fifth professional bout.

The double Olympic medallist will appear on the undercard of Carl Frampton's homecoming fight in Belfast, which also features Jamie Conlan's bid to win the IBF super-flyweight title.

Barnes will fight Eliecer Quezada of Nicaragua for the vacant WBO intercontinental belt on Saturday.

"Boxing will be a major force in Irish sport again," Barnes said

"At amateur level, we had a golden era of multiple medals at world, European and Olympic Games. Now they've turned over to professional.

"We've got Carl Frampton unifying divisions, Ryan Burnett, recently, unifying divisions and Jamie Conlan just about to win a world title here and myself in the near future.

"Professional boxing at the minute is booming, plus you've got people coming up behind us who are picking up titles too so Irish boxing couldn't be at a better place at the minute."

Despite the sport's renaissance, Barnes believes there is more room for growth in Northern Ireland.

"I don't think any boxer gets the respect they deserve. You look at Frampton or Ryan Burnett and Jamie Conlan this week, they're big names in Irish boxing and, outside of Carl Frampton, these people are relatively unheard of," he said.

"Boxing doesn't really get it's fair shake-up anywhere."

Amateur experience

Barnes defeated Silvio Olteanu to claim the WBO European Flyweight title in June

Barnes, 30, will be relying on his amateur experience when he steps into the ring on Saturday.

He was expected to defend his WBO European flyweight title for the first time but his original opponent fell through, meaning he is now facing a much taller boxer than he had trained for.

"In the amateurs you're fighting different styles every day at major tournaments so I'm used to it," he said.

"I haven't thought too much about it, I don't really mind, I'm just looking forward to the fight. I can't wait, I'm very excited and I'm flying fit, so it should be a good night.

"I'm still working out [the way] this professional boxing system is but I know I'm 14th in the world and when I win this next fight I'll be pushed, possibly, into the top ten. After that, maybe another fight and then [a shot at] a world title in the summer in Belfast would be nice."

"Walking Carl Frampton out into the Odyssey Arena [last year], sitting ringside and the atmosphere was unbelievable and being given that chance to fight on a card of that magnitude again...I'm just so excited to be fighting on such a massive card in my home city."

Transition

The Belfast fighter weighed in right on the limit but he is the only one who can win the Intercontinental belt on Saturday after his opponent came in 2lb over the agreed weight, having been given an additional two hours to try and get under the limit.

Having made the switch to professional boxing last year, Barnes admits that he is still having to make adjustments from his successful amateur career.

"To be honest, there's one thing and one thing only and that's the gloves," he revealed.

"They're a lot smaller so I can't really have a defence like I had in the amateurs where I was tucked-up because you cannot tuck up in pro boxing. That's the only thing I've found strange up until my last fight, where I fought for a title, when I took a few shots and that gave me the experience to know that I can block in a different way."