Pierce O'Leary European Title Defence vs. Jon Fernandez Targeted For Sept. 5 In Dublin
Mosope Ominiyi
Jul 2, 2025
2 min read
Three-and-a-half weeks removed from his latest victory to claim the vacant EBU junior welterweight title, Pierce O'Leary already has his next fight tabbed. After outpointing Liam Dillon over the 12-round distance on the Fabio Wardley-Justis Huni underc...
Three-and-a-half weeks removed from his latest victory to claim the vacant EBU junior welterweight title, Pierce O'Leary already has his next fight tabbed.
After outpointing Liam Dillon over the 12-round distance on the Fabio Wardley-Justis Huni undercard, the 25-year-old (17-0, 9 KOs) has been ordered to defend his new belt against Spain's Jon Fernandez (27-3, 22 KOs).
Speculation previously suggested O'Leary would headline a big homecoming in April and while that date fell through, it appears he's readying himself to feature again around September time.
Irishboxing.com reports Queensberry have plans to schedule the fight for September 5 at Dublin's 3Arena and the two teams have until July 15 to agree terms before purse bids are called.
Two-time world featherweight title challenger Michael Conlan (19-3, 9 KOs) is set to face Jack Bateson and O'Leary-Fernandez is expected to also be on the same bill.
Bilbao-born Fernandez has won four straight since dropping a 10-round decision by Samuel Molina in the first defence of Spanish honours at 140-pounds in December 2022.
The 29-year-old was originally scheduled to face Matchroom-backed contender Dalton Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) last September.
The unbeaten Yorkshireman, ranked No. 1 by the WBC, was sidelined through a niggling neck-and-shoulder injury and didn't recover in time to return until January.
Fernandez's team were unwilling to wait any longer and while Smith has pitched a pair of contrasting victories since, so has the Spaniard seeking a long-awaited opportunity to box for Smith's old belt.
Smith promptly vacated the European title after a first-round knockout win over Walid Ouizza on January 25.
Many were left underwhelmed by Ouizza quickly resembling an overmatched opponent, though Fernandez's resume suggests he will represent a career-best challenge for the Irishman.
Reigning WBC junior lightweight world champion O'Shaquie Foster (23-3, 14 KOs) inflicted his first professional defeat via 10-round decision in September 2018.
Michel Rivera (26-1, 14 KOs) climbed off the canvas to score an eighth-round stoppage win over him at lightweight three years later, prompting another divisional move.
After a wide 10-round points win over credible lightweight contender Jezzrel Corrales in March, Fernandez scooped the WBC International Silver title following a third-round disqualification victory against Ricardo Nunez on June 14.
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Mosope Ominiyi
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