By 
THE Bradley brothers, Callum and Tiernan, will fight on the same professional bill for the first time in their careers on October 18th during the Rising Stars show in Letterkenny.
The younger of the two Omagh siblings, Callum, will headline the event, which is being organised by former world title challenger, Jason Quigley, and Tiernan has jumped at the opportunity to join his younger brother on the card.
Brighton-based Tiernan has been out of action since April when he was cruelly denied the IBF Super-lightweight European title following what appeared to be an emphatic victory over then belt holder Ben Crocker. Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, the judges scored the contest as a draw and Crocker has since gone on to lose his crown to Sean McComb, much to Tiernan’s disappointment as he didn’t get the rematch he craved.
“I was meant to be out in June in Galway but that never came off and then I was told my next date was September 27th but what happened was, my opponent from my last fight, ended up taking on Sean McComb and now he has noting to defend any more!,” Tiernan explained.I was up for the fight, but I think he was trying to avoid me. We offered him double the money but his face was marked up after our fight, so I think he was trying to avoid a rematch and he must have thought it was going to be a better fight with Sean McComb.”
Tiernan believes his performance against Crocker and the Englishman’s subsequent effort against McComb won’t have done his reputation any harm and he’s hoping to keep active until the end of the year and then mount another title tilt in 2026.
“I was at the fight [Crocker v McComb], and it was a good fight. He dropped Sean McComb in the first round and I think it was the first time Sean McComb had been dropped but it provides a testament and I hope it brings my reputation up a bit,” he observed.
“It gives me great confidence and belief because Sean McComb has fought at world level and arguably he beat Arnold Barboza Junior at Barclay’s Centre, so I’m sitting here thinking ‘I’m so close, I can nearly reach out and grab it’. I just have to take the steps to get there but unfortunately it’s like Takeshi’s Castle, it’s finding out which steps are right is the hard part!
“I just have to manoeuvre and see what’s best for my career because I want to be out again after this fight. I need to stay active, I need people to see me fight and then maybe in the new year I can push on and get what’s rightfully mine, which is the title or any title!”
The first step on that journey will take place in Letterkenny in less than two weeks when Tiernan is looking forward to sharing the stage with his brother, while putting on a show during his six round clash with an opponent still to be named.
“I’m looking forward to getting my family to see me fight back home and to be on the same card as Callum is definitely a potential career highlight in the offing!,” he beamed.
“Callum’s an entertainer at heart and maybe I need to get back to doing the same!
“[On October 18th] it’s a six rounder so I’ll go out there and do what I can do. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, I’m going to perform and put on an entertaining fight for the fans.”
