On This Day: November 11th
2006: Bernard Dunne solidified his position as a crossover star in Ireland by winning the vacant European super bantamweight title live on RTÉ. The Neilstown boxer outpointed (117-111 x2, 115-113) Englishman Esham Pickering at the Point Depot in Dublin to win the blue belt in front of a raucous crowd.
Watch highlights of Bernard Dunne v Esham Pickering below:
2006: On the undercard in Dublin, Banbridge’s Jason McKay outpointed (97:93) to win the Irish light heavyweight title.
1895: Galway’s Peter Maher knocked out Steve O’Donnell in the first round at the Empire Athletic Club in New York to win the World heavyweight title. Many attach an asterisk to Maher’s position as World champion. Former champ James J Jeffries had retired from boxing and nominated his stablemate O’Donnell as the new heavyweight king. Tradition dictated that O’Donnell must win the belt in the ring, but Maher would upset the applecart that day in Queens.
2000: Eamonn Magee outpointed The Shamrock Express Shea Neary to defend his Commonwealth light welterweight title for a second time at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. A close fight, ‘The Terminator’ took the referee’s decision (116-114) in what was his only title defence in his home city.
2008: Ross Hickey claimed European Championships bronze in Liverpool with a brilliant 6:1 win over Azeri Famil Suleymanov. The Grangecon boxer had defeated Ukranian Olexandr Klyuchko 10:7 in the previous round but would be beaten in the semis by Belarussian Vazgen Safaryants (3:9).
1995: 1995: Belfast’s Sam Storey was knocked out in the fourth round of his Commonwealth and European title challenge against Henry Wharton at the North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax.
