Irish fighters in action worldwide across St Patrick’s Weekend
This Saturday is St Patrick’s Day.
Ireland’s national holiday, March 17th is always a massive date for Irish boxing worldwide and 2017 is not different with fighters from these shores in action all over the world.
First up is Friday March 16th in Liverpool, with Naas lightweight Gary Cully [4(2)-0] fighting at the Greenbank Sports Academy against a to-be-confirmed opponent.
The following morning it is off to Sydney for a major show of Irish importance. Topping a Johnny Lewis card at the Star Casino, Blanchardstown light welter Darragh Foley [14(8)-2(0)-1] fights Canadian Steve Wilcox [18(5)-2(0)-1] in a world title eliminator that will bring together the WBA Oceania and WBA NABA belts.
Featuring on the undercard Down Under, Buncrana’s John Hutchinson [12(4)-2(0)-2] takes on Craig Parke [10(3)-2(0)] for the vacant WBC Asia Continental middleweight title. A third title fight for an Irish boxer on the bill sees Oughterard light welter Gearoid Clancy [8(2)-5(0)] seek to become a two-weight New South Wales champion when he takes on Sam Williams [5(0)-5(3)-3]. Finally there is a second appearance in quick succession for Mitchelstown welterweight Daniel Keating [1(1)-0] who fights debutant Hussain Wasette.
That night in Boston, Murphys Boxing run their annual St Patrick’s Festival show at the House of Blues. Headlining the bill in a keep-busy fight ahead of a World title shot in the Summer, Portlaoise super bantamweight TJ Doheny [18(13)-0] faces Mike Oliver [26(8)-7(5)-1] over eight rounds. Co-headlining will be Irish-American light welter Danny O’Connor [29(11)-3(1)] who defends his WBC International Silver title against Canadian Steve Claggett [26(17)-4(1)-1].
Staying on the U.S. East Coast, New York will host the big one, with Mick Conlan [5(4)-0] returning to The Theater at Madison Square Garden for another appearance – his third in six fights. Fighting for the first time since relocating to London with new trainer Adam Booth, the Belfast featherweight steps up to eight rounds against Hungarian David Berna [15(14)-2(2)] on the undercard of a big Top Rank show in Manhattan.
There are also fighters of Irish descent in action across the world.
At the Hershey Centre in Ontario, Canada, lightweight Josh ‘Dubsy’ O’Reilly [10(4)-0] headlines a bill against Mexican Juan Bedolla Orozco [19(14)-7(2)-2]. This card also features another Irish-Canadian in Tim Cronin [10(2)-1(0)-1], with the light heavyweight taking on unbeaten Argentine Juan Cruz Correa [4(0)-0-1].
Closer to home, at the York Hall in London, welterweight Dan-Dan Keenan [6(0)-1(0)] makes his return from his first career loss with an appearance on the big Haymaker show where he fights Bulgarian Ilian Markov [2(2)-2(2)-1].
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On the amateur side of things, an Elite Irish team are currently touring the U.S East Coast, boxing Monday March 12th, Thursday March 15th, and Wednesday March 21st.
Additionallly, another Irish squad are soon to fly out to South Africa for an international on St Patrick’s Day.
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
