Eric Donovan keen to make amends and win that European title

The financial rewards may not be that high, but winning a European title in Belfast on Saturday night would leave Eric O'Donovan more than happy.

O'Donovan will step into the ring at the Europa Hotel to take on Khalil El Hadri for the vacant European Union super featherweight title. (Live on TG4 from 7.30pm).

The Kildare boxer, who turned 37 last month, has won 15 of his 17 professional bouts since joining the paid ranks in 2016, with his only defeats coming against Zelpa Barrett and double Olympic gold medallist Robeisy Ramirez.

French national champion El Hadri boasts a 13-1 record.

O'Donovan will have spent 11 weeks preparing for this weekend's showdown, time that has been used well, as he outlined to Marie Crowe on RTÉ's Game On.

"I've put in a serious training camp and I know it's an old cliché when I say it's the best camp, but it really has been the best camp," he said.

"I wasn't able to run after my last two training camps with a tendon on the back of my right leg but I was able to get the running session in for this camp, that is a massive difference. I got plenty of sparring, got sparring over in England. I went to new lengths to prepare for this, sparred with top-class professionals. I have left no stone unturned, just have to go out and deliver.

"My strength in confidence comes from my preparation. From the start of my training camp till the end it has been 11 weeks. This week is a tapering week, tapering down. Ten weeks of solid work, good strength and conditioning, good boxing, good running, everything went well.

"You need things to go in your favour, you need things to align for you, managed to avoid injuries. I just have to get out there and do the job on Saturday night."

On what his opponent is likely to bring on