Christmas comes early for Owen Duffy

Owen Duffy [5(2)-2(1)] celebrated Christmas in the height of Summer.

The Cavan returned to the ring for the first time in just under two years on Celtic Clash 11.

The new Boxing Ireland signing defeated Alexander Zeledon on points in the warm climes of Alicante on June 26 and reveals there was a winter wonderland feel to the return.

The popular fighter was beyond excited to return and was delighted with how things played out.

“I was like a kid on Christmas Eve,” a delighted Duffy told Irish-boxing.com.

“I couldn’t sleep properly in the run-up to the fight with the excitement. It’s brilliant to be back, with a great supporting team surrounding me.”

There’s been plenty of changes over the past two years to that surrounding team and more, with Duffy moving down to welter, moving home to Cavan from Dublin, and linking up with old Carickmacross BC coach Martin McMahon.

The Shercock southpaw explained how “after the passing of my Mam, I decided to move home full-time. I’m really enjoying being back home, the community spirit we have back home is amazing.”

“I’ve teamed up with my amateur coach Frick McMahon again, who I won everything with in my amateur days. He knows me so well.”

It’s home in more ways than one for ‘The Butcher Boy’ and he also felt at home again in the ring late last month. There was ring rust to deal with but his focus was more on victory than performance.

“I felt at home, excited and nervous too. It was my first fight in nearly two years, I could definitely sense the ring rust. I was happy to get the rounds in. It was exactly what I needed. It was a messy and rough fight which wasn’t ideal to showcase everything I’ve developed, learned and improved on but the main goal was to get the win, which was achieved so I’m happy out.”