KENNY EGAN WAS narrowly defeated on his return to the ring last night, losing out to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Shabranskij in his World Series of Boxing bout in Los Angeles.

The Ukranian won a split decision 48-47, 46-49, 49-46 after the five-rounder went to the judges’ scorecards.

This was Egan’s first fight since his comprehensive victory over Anthony Dorian in late November.

On that occasion, Egan sustained a cut over his right eye and was handed a six-week medical suspension.

It was a bad night overall for the Clondalkin man’s Miami Gallos team who fell to a 5-0 defeat against group leaders Los Angeles Matadors, their cause not helped by the inability of Egan’s team-mate, John Joe Joyce, to fight as he has not yet recovered from the flu.

Three other Irish fighters were active in the WSB bouts which took place over the weekend, with David Oliver Joyce picking up a win while John Joe Nevin and Thomas McCarthy were both beaten.

Friday night’s bout was Nevin’s debut in the series and the lightweight impressed, scoring a unanimous decision over Russian Adlan Abdurashidov as his Istanbul team saw off the Kremlin Bears of Moscow.

Nevin and McCarthy were both in action in Paris on Friday as their respective teams, Paris United and Milano Thunder, met in the French capital.

Nevin lost out in a split decision to Italian bantamweight Vittorio Parrinello, while by McCarthy was defeated in his heavyweight bout against Frenchman Ludovic Groghue.

McCarthy’s Milano Thunder won the crucial event by three bouts to two, bringing them level on points with Paris at the top of the European group.

There are still five more group rounds to be contested before the three group winners (America, Europe, Asia) and the best runners-up progress to the semi-final stages of the tournament.