Undefeated lightweight Steven Cairns has flown under the radar considering he is one of Ireland’s most-exciting prospects.
He recently signed with Frank Warren with news of his Queensberry debut expected this week.
“I’m back and I’m going to be on TV soon knocking some guys out,” Cairns said, exclusively to boxingscene.com. “I’m delighted about signing with Frank, it is just the platform I need for my career right now.”
Cairns (7-0, 4 KOs) turned professional in 2021 having shone as an amateur, with an impressive record of 110-10. The Cork native had a pair of fights in Europe before signing with the now defunct Probellum. The 21-year-old had three consecutive fights in the UK before knockout wins on the road last year.
“I’ve been doing a lot of learning while fighting away in Denmark and Uzbekistan,” Cairns explained. “I’ve also fought in Germany and Spain, it was a great experience. But now it is time to start building my fanbase in the UK live on TNT Sports, I can’t wait to get going. My next fight will be in April, it should be announced by the end of this week.
“We were in talks with other promoters. We just thought Frank Warren brings a lot of champions through and he knows how to build young fighters, especially fighters like myself. We came and talked to Frank, had a good conversation and decided to go with Frank Warren. We will have the right path with him.”
Cairns joins Warren’s stable while British boxing is seeing unprecedented televised events. Saudi Arabia has added a further unprecedented economic boost that has seen rival promoters start to join hands in the Middle East.
“I think boxing is very exciting right now,” Cairns continued. “Eddie [Hearn] and Frank are working together, even the TV stations are working together. But I want to be out in Saudi and in these big fights, getting that big dough [money].
“I am solely focusing on myself at the moment though, there is no particular fighter I’m looking at. But, by the end of this year, I’ll feel like I am ready to take on some of these guys. The 5 v 5 thing is very interesting, with Eddie going up against Frank, you never know. It’s all up to my manager Dave Coldwell at the end of the day. I live in Rotherham full-time, I moved over when I was 18.
“I’ve been over here with Dave for three years now. It is what you have to do, take yourself away from your home comforts and come over here to learn. I do feel like I am improving loads.”
Big-time boxing in Ireland has re-emerged on the sporting calendar after a prolonged absence. Katie Taylor’s back-to-back undisputed showdown with Chantelle Cameron reignited Irish boxing last year in Dublin.
“With Eddie and Frank both working together now I could definitely be fighting on one of those Katie Taylor shows,” Cairns added. “I could fight for a Celtic or Irish title, it would be my first title. I would take over the show.”
