Loughran’s out to end ‘The Apocalypse’

CAOLAN Loughran is eager to put on a show and further build his growing reputation when he takes on the UK and Ireland’s number one ranked bantamweight, Luke ‘The Apocalypse’ Shanks on November 4th.

The Kildress man is lined up to take on the all-conquering 125lbs kingpin during Cage Warriors 145 in London.

“He’s a big name, he’s the number one ranked in the UK and Ireland and a former Cage Warriors champion, so it’s a big step up is what they are telling me,” Loughran said.

“But I don’t know because he has been the champion at 125lbs the whole way through Covid but he’s missed weight that last few times so he’s being forced to step up to 135 and I’m big at the weight class, so I’ll have a lot of size and a lot of weight on him, so he’s going to get it!”

Loughran believes he will defeat Shanks and do so comfortably, and he’s looking forward to doing so on the big stage at Indigo at the O2, London, in front of a huge support.

And doing that is something he will relish, having flourished during victory over Festus Ahorlu in front of a partisan crowd at the SSE Arena in Belfast in June.

“It’s an unbelievable venue and I’ll probably be co [main event alongside Derry’s Paul Hughes] so there will be a squad over for us and it will be the biggest show Cage Warriors has put on this year.”

And once he dispatches Shanks, Loughran is eyeing up a title shot and a move to the biggest stage, the UFC.

“If I win this one it will probably be the title next, maybe one defence and then onto the UFC,” he explained. “If I win this I’ll be fighting for the belt and usually if you have the belt you’re there so this is the biggest fight of my life.”