BOXING/News Round-Up: Bernard Dunne, who has begun his professional career in the US with three knockouts, is scheduled to go in his final, four-round bout tomorrow night in Las Vegas. The featherweight prospect will face Denver's Eric Trujillo in the Sam's Town Casino.

It will also be the first time Dunne's promoter, Sugar Ray Leonard, returns to Las Vegas in a supporting role. The gambling town, where Irish featherweight Wayne McCullough is also based, was the venue for Leonard's historic fights against Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearn.

After this bout, Dunne, who will have Mike Tyson's current trainer Freddie Roach in his corner, will move up to six-round fights. Trujillo is a former twice Golden Gloves winner and is making his professional debut.

Also scheduled to fight in the US, in Boston tomorrow week, is former European super middleweight champion Ray Close, who had notions of a comeback last year in an unlicensed show in Belfast. The event was not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC), although it was legal, but subsequently collapsed when the Park Avenue Hotel had second thoughts after a number of boxing officials stated their disapproval.

The event was organised despite Close having had his licence suspended in 1995 prior to a third fight against Chris Eubank. It was shown that Close had a medical condition which, the BBBC believed, excluded him from fighting. That suspension still holds, although Close has fought three times in the US, having been passed fit by the Illinois State Commission.

The Belfast fighter, in his early career, was judged to have been extremely unfortunate. His draw with Eubank in 1993 was seen to favour the WBO champion, and in the rematch a year later Close lost another contentious decision.

"I'm concerned," said Irish Boxing Union president Mel Christle. "I do hope he (Close) has received the very best medical advice before embarking on the resumption of his career and I wish him well."