A WORLD title opportunity came and went for Tommy McCarthy in September, but regaining the European cruiserweight title in Poland on Saturday can put him right back in the mix.

McCarthy was due to challenge WBA king Arsen Goulamirian in Marseille, but through no fault of his own, the fight fell through.

Instead, he will look to dethrone Michal Cieslak to claim the continental strap he lost to Chris Billam-Smith in 2021 that should open the door to something even bigger.

Parking the disappointment of the Goulamirian fight falling by the wayside was imperative as the chance to take on the Pole who has his own ambitions of scaling the cruiserweight mountain came soon after.

This has a win or bust feel for both men who are now both in their 30s and will be aware that another loss could well spell the end.

Cieslak has twice lost in world title fights, to Ilunga Junior Makabu in 2020 and then Lawrence Okolie last year, but bounced back with a hat-trick of victories including a fourth-round stoppage of Dylan Bregeon back in April to take the vacant European title.

A first defence on home turf ensures he holds the advantages, but McCarthy has previous for going away and upsetting the odds.

In 2019, he travelled to Italy to face Fabio Turchi and returned with the WBC International title that paved the way for his his first European title win a year later and is determined that all of the sacrifices he has made will pay off once again this week.

"It's a great opportunity, especially with what happened with the world title fight," he said.

"I'd trained all summer for it and then it crumbled two weeks before, so when this came round it was happy days and I'm buzzing for it.

"It was terrible as I was ready to phone Mark (Dunlop, manager) and just say f**k it. That was something I've wanted since I was a kid, to become a world champion and I was getting the chance.

"The sacrifices you make in training, especially over summer so I didn't go on holidays. That might sound trivial, but I missed all sorts like weddings to prepare for this world title and then it didn't happen. I was gutted but that's how the game it."

McCarthy's loss to Billam-Smith was followed by a second reverse against the Englishman who has since gone onto win world honours.

Their first meeting was by split decision and although the second was much more conclusive with an eighth round stoppage, the West Belfast man takes some encouragement from how his rival has moved on.

He wants to emulate him and knows that to do so, he must take whatever opportunities arise so travelling to Poland this week didn't require a second thought.

"Losing it (European title) was devastating, but to see how Billam-Smith has progressed since, now a world champion, shows me I belong at that world level," her stressed.

"If I win this, it puts me back in the mix for world titles. When opportunities come up, you have to take them.

"I'm a dice roller and have been my whole career, going into back yards: England to face Billam-Smith, going to Italy (when he defeated Turchi) and now I'm going to Poland."

McCarthy has been inactive since a points win over Reinis Porozovs at the Europa Hotel in September 2022.

That was a rather uninspiring performance, but then facing journeyman opposition was never going to bring out the best in the Lenadoon man who just couldn't get up for that level of position.

Having been used to an edge in so many battles before, he opted against another meeting with a fighter of a similar standard and instead insisted it was big bights only from here on in.

"That last fight I had was a small hall eight-rounder," he recalled.

"I told Mark I didn't want any more of those fights. I wanted good fights or there's no point. 

"We managed to get the WBA title fight but that folded. Credit to Mark as he must be the best manager in world boxing as he had sorted the European title in Poland within a few weeks."

It is certainly a challenge this week as Cieslak is a very decent operator and with 18 of his 24 wins coming inside the distance, he carries power in his fists.

His only defeats came in those aforementioned world title opportunities, both on points, so durability, stamina and toughness clearly aren't issues. Still, McCarthy is confident his best beats the champion's best.

"He's a dangerous opponent who has only lost two fights, both for world titles, so he is very good," he insists.

"But I believe I'm better than him, have more skills and a higher boxing IQ, but he's a strong, world level fighter."

Although he will have been out of the ring for over a year, McCarthy has been busy with interests outside of the ring.

His 'Whiskey n White' podcast with friend and fellow boxer Tyrone McKenna has taken off, as has a new venue in stand-up comedy.

But the aim will be for rib ticklers of a different kind this week as while he is aware there needs to be a plan for life outside the ring, his focus is on Cieslak this week.

"I'm a boxer and always have been, but when I lost the title, I thought I'm more than a boxer," he explained.

"You give your whole life to boxing, but it can chew you up and spit you out.  I just tried different ventures and they are going good. There is more to life than boxing."