Headline NewsNews

Celtic Clash 9 – LIVE UNDERCARD UPDATES

We are ringside and ready to run through a marathon card of Irish boxing.

No fewer than 13 fights will take place tonight in Belfast on the big Boxing Ireland Promotions ‘Celtic Clash 9’ card at the Devenish Venue.

The running order for the night can be seen HERE

Joe Fitzpatrick’s first title fight tops the bill in West Belfast and we will have an on-the-bell report for this clash with Iago Barros and we will also post round-by-round updates of all twelve undercard bouts below.

(Keep refreshing page to see live updates)

10:54pm – And that’s it for our undercard report. Stay tuned for our on-the-bell report from the main event as Joe Fitzpatrick takes on Iago Barros for the BUI Celtic title.

10:53pm – 40-36 to Owen O’Neill who now moves to 3(0)-0.

Round 4 – O’Neill rounds out the fight and surely gets the win. His fans are already celebrating!

Round 3 – Serious fitness being shown by O’Neill who is on the chest of Cummings throughout, winging away with shots

Round 2 – O’Neill enjoys some good success and has Cummings backtracking momentarily with a volley of shots but the Derry-born Englishman is able to fight back.

Round 1 – Huge body assault from O’Neill to start but Cummings is happy to trade, clean shots landed by both.

10:36pm – Crazy atmosphere here in the Devenish. O’Neill needs to keep his cool against a wily foe.

10:32pm – Time for the final undercard bout of the night featuring North Belfast light middle Owen O’Neill. The massively supported Cliftonville fighter is in against Paul Cummings.

10:30pm – Cooke gets the win, 40-36, and moves to 3(1)-0.

Round 4 – ‘Da Crook’ does sit into some meaty shots in the closer but we go the distance in the Devenish.

Round 3 – Cooke is in complete cruise control here, will he turn on the gas and look for the stoppage in the final round?

Round 2 – Starting to unload, Cooke is doing real damage. The MMA reconvert is having joy with lead uppercuts and Tomasevski’s face is breaking down.

Round 1 – Cooke starts on the back foot, evading all of Tomasevski’s advances rather easily before the pair trade with venom. The Cork-Pole lands a couple of his own in the exchange but is nailed by some massive shots from Cooke.

10:09pm – Apologies. Internet issues in the venue severely limiting us here. Conor Doherty has just scored a hard-fought 40-37 debut win and it is now time for Staz Tomasevski v Conor Cooke. Four explosive rounds at cruiserweight

9:50pm – Cesar is REALLY enjoying his victory and now, eventually, we are ready for Fight #10 – the pro debut of Conor Doherty. The Belfast middleweight faces Poland’s Pawel Martynuik.

Round 5 – Wowowowow Cesar KNOCKS MCGLINCHEY OUT. Left to the body sends the Derryman down for the count. Pandemonium at the Devenish. Cesar leaps up to the turnbuckle but falls fully out of the ring. He’s up and okay and back in the ring. Mental scenes.

Round 4 – Both warned as it starts to get scrappier. Cesar then hits McGlinchey after the break – badly hurting ‘Mummy’s Bhoy’. A point is taken off ‘The Belfast Gladiator’ but he gets a tired-looking McGlinchey on the ropes and starts to do real damage for the first time. What a turnaround.

Round 3 – A bit more considered here from McGlinchey, trying to pick his shots up close as the clinches start to increase in volume.

Round 2 – Cesar, to his credit, is boxing well here, not panicking as McGlinchey rushes in and landing some smart short shots. The Creggan slugger though is far busier.

Round 1 – No feeling out, as expected. Southpaw McGlinchey immediately on the front foot, rearing into Cesar who is trying to counter. The Belfast-Angolan is picking some nice shots on his onrushing Derry opponent but McGlinchey looks too strong here.

9:20pm – Another all-Irish fight now and the first title clash of the night. Sean McGlinchey v Julio Cesar over eight for the vacant Celtic Nations super middleweight title.

9:17pm – Such bravery from McDonald but McAfee was just far too strong.

Round 3 – Huge shots on the inside from McAfee who has closed the distance superbly and his umpteenth uppercut sends McDonald down for the count. KO3 MCAFEE!

Round 2 – McAfee really in the ascendancy here. Punishing McDonald who is showing huge bravery to still land some nice sneaky shots.

Round 1 – WAR from the first bell. McDonald popping off some classy work but the body shots of McAfee are already doing real damage.

9:00pm – Onto the first big all-Irish here – Stephen McAfee v Kelvin McDonald. Four rounds at super featherweight. Initially set for six and there was confusion over the distance even with both boxers in the ring.

8:58pm – Gethins gets the win – 40-36. Now 3(0)-0.

Round 4 – Zeledon bulling forward, head down, in this final stanza and he receives a warning from referee John Lowey. Gethins is trying to pick punches from the outside and it’s working well. No real further drama and he sees it out to the bell.

Round 3 – Gethins makes a breakthrough at the start of the third, buzzing Zeledon with a sharp flurry upstairs. The Central American is game, however, and isn’t going anywhere, instead looking to trade. Gethins, encouragingly, seems more comfortable with the visitors power now.

Round 2 – Zeledon goading Gethins who is sticking smartly behind the jab as his Latino foe rolls forward.

Round 1 – Some drama in the opener as Gethins looks to be hurt from the wild, clubbing shots of his opponent but he is soon back behind his southpaw jab and using his long reach advantage.

8:38pm – Fight #7 and our second Sligo boy of the night. Aaron Gethins in four round welterweight action versus Alexander Zeledon of Nicaragua.

8:37pm – Donegan gets the nod. 40-36. He now improves to 3(1)-0.

Round 4 – Zulgis giving it a go in the final round, good to see. But it’s nowhere near enough to outdo the work of Donegan.

Round 3 – The first big right hand of the night has Zulgis on wobbly legs and Donegan is starting to turn the screw here

Round 2 – Nice little bursts of shots from Donegan but the Cavan man still hasn’t left second gear.

Round 1 – Quiet opener, Donegan working behind the jab but not yet letting go with the big bombs.

8:17pm – Into Fight #6 – the always-impressive Dominic Donegan in versus Kristaps Zulgis in a light middleweight four rounder.

8:15pm – 1-15 the time of the stoppage for Senan Kelly who starts his pro ledger off at 1(1)-0.

Round 3 – Huge left hook from Kelly almost spins Liokaftos 180 degrees. The Greek is down hard and barely survives. It’s an absolute onslaught from Kelly and the towel comes in! TKO3 KELLY!

Round 2 – Lovely sound off Kelly’s punches. Certainly throws with venom. Liokaftos is being jolted by these shots but still standing firm.

Round 1 – Dubliner Kelly going for the body early before switching the hooks upstairs. Liokaftos quite wary but isn’t crumpling, yet.

8:00pm – Fight #5 and another debut. This time it’s Senan Kelly who is in versus Ilias Liokaftos.

7:58pm – And it’s 40-34 to Treacy. Edagha must have been given a share of one of the first three. Such a fun fight.

Round 4 – Huge shots being traded here. Treacy has a chin and takes one to give one which almost sends Edagha down again. Edagha is getting increasingly wild and is nailed off balance by Treacy and we finally have a knockdown. Seconds later and Edagha is down again after a HUGE shot from Treacy, left hand puts him flat on his back. Edagha is up and the bell goes, we go to the card. Great four rounder.

Round 3 – It’s dirty, it’s scrappy, and Edagha has a point docked for holding. The Italian is sneaking in some shots but Treacy is the busier here.

Round 2 – Huge left hand from Treacy sends Edagha stumbling into the ropes. Should have been ruled a knockdown but referee John Lowey doesn’t call it. Edagha now electing to trade and a clash of heads sees a cut open on the outside of Treacy’s left eye. It’s getting a bit messy now and both are warned. Edagha with more swings, we have a fight on our hands!

Round 1 – Cagey opener but Treacy lands with a heavy swinging overhand right. The Wicklow man is having success lunging in and bundles Edagha to the canvas, no knockdown called. The visitor is usually game and dangerous but is in survival mode here.

7:38pm – Fight #4 and one of our favourites, Bray’s Eddie Treacy. The Honey Badger is in against Victor Edagha in a tough light middleweight four rounder.

7:36pm – Now being introduced in the ring is Big Tommy McCarthy fresh from his big WBC International title win over Fabio Turchi last night in Italy.

7:34pm – And he does. 40-36 to Tony McGlynn who moves to 1(0)-0.

Round 4 – Clean shot after clean shot, Karoly is all over the place but we make it to the bell – somehow. Lots to like there from McGlynn who will get the win.

Round 3 – Big straight hand from McGlynn has Karoly out on his feet, the Hungarian is ready to go! McGlynn is taking his time, however, looking for the clean shot, and we go into the final round.

Round 2 – Karoly is gone very ragged and McGlynn is pouring it on but, again, we make it through to the bell. Can’t go much longer.

Round 1 – McGlynn, out of the southpaw stance, has the left coiled and looking dangerous. Karoly isn’t liking this but the Hungarian makes it through the round.

7:14pm – And now for Fight #3 and another pro debut. Crumlin light middleweight Tony McGlynn takes on Dominick Csaba Karoly over four.

7:12pm – 40-36 to James Lynch who gets his pro career up and running.

Round 4 – Closer in the fourth but Lynch still in control. A solid debut.

Round 3 – More punishing bodywork from Lynch but McGuire seems to have weathered the storm.

Round 2 – The Sligo soldier is doing damage to the body with right hands and McGuire looks to be feeling it.

Round 1 – Lynch is going to be in some exciting fights, bulling forward and swinging in big shots from the start.

6:52pm  Next up is the professional debut of Sligo’s James Lynch, facing Gary McGuire in a light middleweight four rounder.

6:51pm – Goes to Carroll – 40-36 – and he improves to 3(0)-0.

Round 4 – Opening up in the final round and the crowd are responding. Some big combos from Carroll and we go to the scorecard.

Round 3 – Carroll switching southpaw in the third, showing bits of everything.

Round 2 – Fash showing slightly more ambition in the second and knocks Carroll’s gumshield out with a chopping counter. It’s a mere momentary blip however, and Carroll is soon back looking to let rip with uppercuts on the inside.

Round 1 – Fast hands from Carroll early on and he is targeting the body well. Good start.

6:33pm – Sam Carroll walking to the ring now alongside trainer Pete Taylor who is back from Italy having cornered Tommy McCarthy to a sensational win over Fabio Turchi last night.

6:28pm – Referee Eamonn Magill is in the ring and it looks like we are ready to go!

6:20pm – People still streaming through the doors here so it will be another few minutes before we get going.

6:00pm – Doors are open and we’re starting to fill up here in Belfast. First bell, of course, will be delayed a few minutes. It will be Sam Carroll v Luke Fash to get us going eventually, probably in the next 15 minutes or so.

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

x