It's been a tough start to life as a professional boxer for Fivemiletown's Ben Mulligan, but with a new promoter on board in Mark Dunlop, the super-featherweight is hoping for better things for the rest of 2013 and beyond. Mulligan started his pro career off with a defeat, which damaged his confidence a little, but he's now back at the Kronk Gym in Belfast, and Dunlop feels the future is bright for Ben.

He said, "Obviously Ben's debut fight was a setback for him, the lad he was fighting turned out to be an international kick boxer and he's gone on to win a few fights since beating Ben." He added: "But Ben is back in the gym, and is gaining in confidence all the time, and hopefully over the next few months he will be ready for the new season ahead." Mulligan is in good company in Belfast under trainer Tony Dunlop, sparring the likes of Daniel McShane and James Tennerson on a regular basis, both promising boxers in his weight division, and Mark Dunlop feels that can only help Mulligan's cause.

"We hope to get Ben in the ring at least three times before Christmas. He's training with top boxers, so that should do him good. It's obviously coming to the end of this boxing season, so we will have him ready for the start of the new one." Should Mulligan win those fights, Dunlop, who promotes boxing in England and Jersey as well as Northern Ireland, is confident that a national title fight could be on the cards very soon.

"The aim is to get those fights before the end of the year, and hopefully within the next two years, Ben will be fighting for an Irish super-featherweight title."