John Joe Nevin is relishing fighting as a professional in Ireland

Olympic silver medallist John Joe Nevin is relishing the prospect of fighting as a professional in Ireland on Saturday night.

The super featherweight with make his third appearance as a pro at the 3Arena in Dublin against Jack Heath.

It has always been a dream to box in front of my home fans as a professional.

Nevin’s bout is part of a fantastic line-up of action on Sky Sports, topped by Matthew Macklin’s world title eliminator against WBC International champion Jorge Sebastian Heiland.

And the 25-year-old is determined to become the leading light of Irish boxing as he prepares for his latest bout on the Matchroom card.

Dream

“It has always been a dream to box in front of my home fans as a professional,” said Nevin. “I really cannot wait for Saturday night.

“There are some big name boxers in Ireland but they are pushing towards the end of their careers now and I want to be the one to take over Irish boxing. I would love something like what Luke Campbell has in Hull.

“As a pro it is more like you are boxing for yourself but I am still representing Ireland as a professional. I feel the pressure of the Irish support and I want to perform for them.

It is amazing to fight in front of the Irish fans. Looking back on the Olympics, it gives me goose bumps to think what the crowd was like.

“It is amazing to fight in front of the Irish fans. Looking back on the Olympics, it gives me goose bumps to think what the crowd was like. It is an amazing feeling, the Irish are great fans, and I think Saturday night is going to be a great show.

“It is like making my pro debut again because this time it is at home. It will be a packed out crowd in a big arena and it is a great promoter putting on the show. It is going to be great.”

Watch Nevin take on Heath live from Dublin on the same bill as the Matthew Macklin-Jorge Sebastian Heiland showdown this Saturday from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 2