Headline News

As he predicted last year – Darragh Foley calls out next opponent

At the end of last year, Dubliner Darragh Foley contacted Irish-Boxing.com to outline his big plans for 2017.

At the weekend the Australian-based light welter began down this route and wants to continue as planned.

Back in December, Foley said “I will tell you exactly what will happen: β€œMarch – defence [of WBA Oceania title]. June – Amonsot. September – [Phil] Sutcliffe Jr.”

While he was slightly behind schedule, the Blanchardstown boxer defended his WBA Oceania title on Saturday morning in Sydney, scoring a stunning one-punch knockout of Sonny Katiandagho.

Afterwards Foley would call out his next foe, in line with his earlier prediction.

The 28 year old described how “I’m the WBA Oceania champion, I have a mandatory, the Interim champion down in Melbourne, he’s called Czar Amonsot.”

“How many times do you hear the champion calling out his mandatory?”

“I’m here, you want it? Come get it, I’ll even go down to his back yard.”

Former Filipino and Australian champion Amonsot, also a southpaw, boasts a 34(22)-3(2)-3 record and has been unbeaten for almost a decade since going the distance with Michael Katsidis.

The fight on Saturday was Rocky movie territory, with Foley suffering gruesome swelling that led to a change in stance and a highlight reel knockout.

The charismatic fighter explained that “I’m a southpaw boxer, but when I got the eye injury I had to switch it up because I couldn’t see too well the shots coming.”

“I can also box orthodox, I can do it all, I went orthodox, one round, and I knocked him out.”

“When you carry devastating power in both hands, sometimes the power has to bail you out and it did.”

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