AmateurNews

IABA confirm National Elite Championships dates and details

The blue ribbon Irish boxing tournament will return next January.

The IABA have confirmed plans to run the National Elites in the first month of 2021.

It seems fight fans will be treated to a bit of a boxing fest as the IABA look to get the tournament wrapped up over five straight days.

The competition will glove off on Monday January 11 with Friday January 15 set aside for finals night.

It means 2020 will pass without an Elites, although 2019 played host to two National Elite competitions, with the 2020 competition playing out in November of 2019.

It will be interesting to see who enters the next installment and if the competition will have any influence on the Tokyo Olympics.

A host of emerging talent can use the Elites as a platform to put their name forward for the Olympic World qualifiers selection in the weights we don’t secure qualification in the European qualifiers [rumoured to scheduled for Spring of next year].

READ OUR 2020 NATIONAL ELITE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

It will be interesting to see if those in Olympic pole will compete and use the Elites as a chance to get in rounds. Or will , as appears to be the case in recent years, they avoid the contest.

There were a lot of questions and controversy in that regard last year.

The January element also means sacrificing Christmas for any boxer looking to enter, which may limit any dark horses, comebacks or real surprise packages.

The details of a number of competitions were confirmed by the IABA this week. Read the statement below:

Following a meeting of the Officer Board of the IABA on Saturday, September 5, clubs can now return to contact training which includes sparring and pads

However, boxers must remain in the same pod.

Upcoming Fixtures:

  1. Youths Competition (2002, 2003) – Box October Fri 2nd, Sat 3rd, Mon 5th, Wed 7th, Fri 9th, Sat 10th (days as required depending on draws).

Pre-entry will be online and must be completed before 2pm on Wednesday 23rd September with the draw taking place on Friday 25th.

Clubs who have not applied to return (Covid-19 Club Declaration form) cannot enter.

Times for boxing to be confirmed. €20 entry fee.Boxers weigh-in each day they box and must be available to box on any of the days mentioned above.

  1. Junior Competition (2005, 2004) – Box October Fri 16th, Sat 17th, Sun 18th, Fri 23rd, Sat 24th, Sun 25th, Fri 30th and Sat 31st (days as required depending on the draws).

Pre-entry by 2pm on Wednesday 7th Oct with draw on Friday 9th. Entry fee €20. Boxers weigh in each day they box and must be available to box on any of the days mentioned above.

  1. U-22 Championships – Box Fri Nov 6th, Sat 7th, Sun 8th, Fri 13th, Sat 14th, Sun 15th, Fri 20th, Sat 21st.

Pre entry by Wed 28th October, draw Friday 30th. Entry €20.

Boxers weigh-in each day they box and must be available to box on any of the days mentioned above.

  1. Boy/Girl 1, 2, 3 – Box November Fri 27th, Sat 28th, Sun 29th. December Fri 4th, Sat 5th, Sun 6th, Fri 11th and Sat 12th.

Entry by the Units for Wednesday 18th Nov, draw Friday 20th Nov. Entry fee €10.

Boxers weigh-in on their first day of boxing and on the day of their finals.

  1. Elites – Box January Mon 11th, Tue 12th, Wed 13th, Thu 14th and Fri 15th.

Pre-entry by Wednesday 6th Jan. Draw Friday 8th Jan. Entry fee €30.

  1. National Youth Competition (for 2020 Youths 2002/2003) – Box February Friday 5th, Saturday 6th, Sunday 7th, Friday 12th, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th February.

Pre-entry by Wednesday 27th January. Draw Friday 29th January.

Regards,

Paddy Gallagher

National Secretary IABA

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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