Boxing excitement continues this week

The show which takes place in the Glassworks Building, Great James Street, will see the local club come up against Olympic ABC from Galway.

“It’s the first tournament of the season and all our Irish champions will be boxing and our two European bronze medallists will also be boxing,” stated Oakleaf’s founder and National Boxing Council Member Eugene O’Kane.

“Olympic ABC are one of the strongest teams in Ireland, they too have four or five Irish champions in their club, there will be nine Irish champions on display on Friday night, so we are expecting a lot of tough bouts. Obviously the two boys who won bronze medals at the Europeans, Francie Stokes and Brendan McGinty will be centre stage.

“We also have a few boys making their debuts as well a young lad called Dermot Kelly, will box at the 60Kgs weight and he’s expected to be bringing a big crowd with him and because of that I feel all in all it should be a good night.”

Tickets are priced at £5 for adults and £4 for concessionary, boxing fans can pay at the door and the first contest starts at 8pm.

On Friday evening in the ‘The Venue 2013’, Oakleaf boxer Ryan Green claimed the 50kg boys Ulster title when he defeated Daniel Lindsay, while St Joseph’s Conor Coyle secured the middleweight accolade after he beat JP Delaney.

For Green, who incidentally is likely to box this Friday night, he was thrilled to win another title.

“It was a close fight but I’m delighted that I came out on top,” admitted Green.

“I was a point down after the first round and it was the same going into the final round so I knew I had to pull it out of the bag. I actually thought I should have been up going into the final round but my coach told me I was behind so I had to step it up.”

As for Coyle, he to was delighted to claim his first Ulster Senior title and in doing so had some revenge over Delaney, who had defeated him in the final last year.

“I’m delighted to have won my first senior title and hopefully there is plenty more to come after this,” declared Coyle.

“I knew I had to get one over him and now that I have won it’s a big boost ahead of the Irish Elites in February, so I’ll just keep the training up everyday until then.”