Braid boxer Corey aiming for historic first Irish title

Fourteen-year-old Corey, from Ballykeel, has boxed his way to the National finals last weekend by seeing off two opponents.

Corey who is the current Co Antrim champion at 57kgs was supposed to compete in the same weight category but it was decided last minute to step him up a weight after he found it difficult to make that weight.

Corey who is now competing at 60kg for the first time stepped through the ropes and took on previous Irish champion and current European champion Michael Nevin.

Corey who was understandably a bit nervous taking on the championship favourite took some words of encouragement from his coach and former World Champion Eamonn Loughran and from the second round onwards Corey dominated and boxed his way to a points victory.

The Dunclug College pupil once again boxed his way to a points win the following day to secure his silver medal and a place in the Final with the best that Irish boxing has to offer.

Corey will be the first boxer from Braid ABC to compete in an Irish Juvenile final.

He claimed the Co Antrim Championship title for the fourth successive year only two weeks ago and has been training hard ever since. He has been sparring many top boxers from Belfast as well as our own senior champion Anthony O’Rawe who himself made history by becoming the club’s first senior champion earlier this year.

Braid coaches Liam Allen and Eamonn Loughran are elated to have helped Corey reach his objective by becoming an Irish finalist.

Former world welterweight champion Loughran made his debut as a corner man in Dublin, where he was supported by Liam.

Braid head coach John McLeister said: “It’s great to have Eamonn on board. He has been there and done it and is a real motivator to the boys.

“Eamonn has been working hard in preparing the boys for these fights and it has clearly paid off. Eamon work ethic in the gym has given the boys such encouragement and he is a very welcome member to the Braid’s winning team.

“Eamonn’s return to boxing has generated a lot of interest, he reached unparelled success as a young boxer under the watchful eye of his father going on to become Ballymena’s only world champion boxer. It is this legacy that Eamonn will bring to help and mentor other youngsters at Braid ABC.

“Last week was an excellent week for the club,” said McLeister.

“We have Corey boxing his way to an Irish Final. We entered three boxers into the Co Antrim Championships and walked away with 1 gold, 1 silver.”

Christopher Hagan a Cambridge House grammar school student claimed silver after boxing twice and narrowly missing out on gold to the current Irish champion.

Tyler McMullan blasted his way to gold by stopping two of his three opponents in the first round.

Twelve year old Tyler who is a student at Parkhall High in Antrim won the Co Antrim Title for the second consecutive year will be hoping to continue that form and claim that Irish Title.

“He is a really talented boxer and despite his young age has already racked up 5 titles with more to come. Tyler will be competing in the Irish championships this incoming week where we are very confident he can win,” added McLeister.

Corey, Tyler, Anthony and many more champion boxers will be on display performing their art in the Braids annual Boxing extravaganza. The popular boxing show will once again be held in the Leighinmohr House Hotel on Saturday April 27th.

Tickets are £12 and another sell out is expected.

This year as every year we will be featuring some white collar bouts where some of Ballymena’s great characters will become a boxer for one night only.

Look out for more details in the coming weeks.