Ryan Burnett is set to return to action after last November’s unfortunate loss to Nonito Donaire, in which Burnett, defending the WBA bantamweight title, suffered a back injury in the fourth round and was pulled from the fight.
That injury cost him not only his WBA title, but also his spot in the World Boxing Super Series tournament. Now, the 26-year-old is set to return at Ulster Hall in Belfast on May 17. ESPN+ will air the fight in the U.S. on a Friday afternoon.
“I want to be world champion again,” Burnett said. “Nothing else matters. This is a significant step in that campaign and I’m delighted it’s taking place in my home city.”
Burnett (19-1, 9 KO) will come back fairly soft, facing Filipino fighter Jelbirt Gomera (14-5, 7 KO). Gomera, 26, has lost four of his last six, including defeats against Hidenori Otake and Can Xu.
“My opponent on May 17 is in the way of my being back where I know I belong,” Burnett added. “You will see my determination on fight night.”
There will be a minor WBC title on the line for the fight.
The show will also feature a super featherweight matchup between Marco McCullough (21-4, 11 KO) and Declan Geraghty (18-3, 4 KO), which is a Belfast vs Dublin fight. More fights will be added to the card in the coming days.