Gary Cully lands big fight against Francesco Patera in Leeds

Kildare boxer Gary Cully will take another major step up his career when he meets Belgium's Francesco Patera next month for the WBA Continental European lightweight title in Leeds.

Cully recovered from a shock knockout defeat to Jose Felix - when the WBA Inter-Continental strap was on the line - by overcoming Reece Mould on a decision in Dublin last year to win the belt.

He was fighting as chief support to Katie Taylor on both occasions in the shows against Chantelle Cameron.

Taylor had been due to fight at the 3Arena again on 25 May with several Irish boxers expected to feature on the card.

However that was shelved followed the postponement of the Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall rematch in April in Leeds, with that late May date instead being used by Matchroom Boxing.

Cully now switches to that show in England to take on Patera, who has 29 wins and just four defeats in his career so far.

He was beaten last year by US rising star Keyshawn Davis but stepped back in the ring last November for a knockout win in his homeland over Carlos Sandoval.

His most impressive victory came against Lewis Ritson in 2018 and he also stopped Belfast's Paul Hyland Junior a year later.

It will be a big test for Cully and victory would move him closer to a world-level fight.

Paddy Donovan will also fight on the Leeds card, ironically against Ritson, in another potentially make-or-break bout towards major honours.

There is still no news on when or where Katie Taylor will fight, with a bout against a mandatory challenger the most likely scenario in the US on the second week of June.