Boxing: Beltre has scent of blood

Angel Beltre is predicting success at the second attempt when he tackles Eamonn Loughran for the World Boxing Organisation welterweight title in Belfast on Saturday.

The Dominican Republic fighter's hopes of taking Loughran's crown in May ended when a clash of heads left Beltre in a bloody state. The WBO ordered a rematch, and after two operations to clear up eye damage, Beltre is determined not to make the same mistake. "I'm going to be a lot more careful this time, because he's so dangerous with the head," he explained.

Beltre, a world amateur champion at 17, will offer a much sterner challenge than Loughran's last opponent, the American Tony Gannarelli, who was stopped in six rounds.

"I was baiting him in the first fight until the third round when I began to take control until Loughran butted me," he added. "I was going to win the world title until that happened but I've worked on the way he fights and he won't do it this time."