- Queensberry return to Dublin on Friday, August 1 at the 3 Arena
- Pierce "Big Bang" O'Leary confirmed as headliner — his second major Dublin show of 2026
- Announcement follows O'Leary's March homecoming against Maxi Hughes that sold out in minutes
Right then, Queensberry are going back to Ireland. Frank Warren has confirmed that August 1 is the date, the 3 Arena is the venue, and Pierce O'Leary is the man topping the bill. Make no mistake, this is a brilliant piece of business from Warren and his team. After O'Leary's sold-out Dublin homecoming in March, doubling down on the city in the summer is a no-brainer.
If you were in the 3 Arena on March 14, you already know. The atmosphere for the O'Leary-Hughes fight was unlike anything else in British or Irish boxing this year. A proper boxing city, a proper homegrown draw, and Queensberry have clearly decided they want a piece of that every time the schedule allows.
Why Dublin, And Why Now
Let's not beat around the bush about why this is happening. Katie Taylor is preparing for her farewell at Croke Park later this summer. Matchroom and Eddie Hearn have poured real effort into Irish events for years. Queensberry cannot afford to let the Matchroom camp own the territory, especially with O'Leary on their books and Conor Benn (who is part-Irish heritage) now on rival networks.
August 1 falls perfectly in the summer calendar. The Inoue-Nakatani dust has settled. Joshua-Fury is months away. A massive Dublin night with a local hero on top is exactly the kind of event that owns a Friday evening on DAZN and gives Queensberry a second flag in Irish soil this year.
What's Next For O'Leary
No opponent has been named yet. Warren's team are reportedly working through two or three realistic names at super lightweight. The obvious route is a stay-busy fight at the back end of July or early August that sets up a bigger autumn bout. Don't expect a murderer's row at the 3 Arena — expect a name that has enough recognition to sell tickets and enough durability to give O'Leary rounds.
If you know, you know: Pierce is 17-0 and still learning on the job as a European-level operator. He was brilliant against Maxi Hughes in March — composed, accurate, punishing body shots. A proper progression from that performance is a mid-table opponent ranked in the world top fifteen who will come to win. If Warren lands that, the Dublin crowd will not care who it is.
The Undercard Factor
This is where things get interesting. Queensberry have a deep Irish contingent they can build a card around. Dylan Arbuckle, Feargal McCrory, and a selection of up-and-coming Dublin pros will all have a claim to a spot on a Queensberry-branded Irish card. Warren also has the option of importing a British-based marquee name to fatten the bill — think a Sheeraz type fighter looking for a summer stay-busy outing.
A stacked undercard is what turns a Pierce O'Leary homecoming from a good night into a brilliant one. Matchroom taught everyone that lesson with their Katie Taylor bills. Queensberry know it, and the fact they are already plotting the 3 Arena months in advance tells you this will not be a skeleton card.
Luke's Take
This is exactly the kind of announcement British and Irish boxing needs. Real venues, real cities, real crowds. Pierce O'Leary is one of the most marketable young fighters in these islands, and Dublin is a proper boxing city that deserves two or three major nights a year. August 1 is going to be class. Tickets will move, the 3 Arena will be absolutely rocking, and another generation of Irish fight fans will be hooked.
Get it booked in the diary now. If O'Leary keeps doing what he is doing, we are looking at a European champion by the end of the year and a world title shot on the horizon for 2027. Proper career, proper plan, proper promoter delivering.