Irish in action in Australia this weekend
While most Irish boxing eyes will be on Belfast tomorrow, there are fighters from these shores in action on the other side of the World.
Sydney-based duo Darragh Foley and Gearoid Clancy – both of whom fight out of the Bondi Boxing Club under Tony Del Vecchio – appear on separate cards in Australia with belts on the line for both. The pair
First up it’s the ‘Galway Assassin’ Clancy, who features on a card at Club Punchbowl. The Oughterard puncher takes on Thai fighter Wanphichit Siriphana [2(0)-2(2)] over eight for the World Boxing Foundation Australasian title at light welterweight.
It’s a first time back in the ring for Clancy [7(2)-5(0)] since his rematch loss to Kiwi Nort Beauchamp back in May.
On Sunday afternoon then at the Star City Hotel Casino, Dubliner Foley [12(8)-2(0)] faces Japanese boxer Ryuji Hachimitsu Ikeda.
The Blanchardstown boxer is playing the rankings game at present and has worked himself up to #13 with the WBA following three successful defences of the Oceanic belt.
Last time out he also won the IBF-linked OPBF belt but received no ranking position with the world body and this strap has since been discarded. On Sunday two other belts will be added to the mix – the vacant WBO Oriental title and a newly created interim WBC Asian Boxing Council title (Chinese boxer Baishanbo Nasiyiwula holds the full title and has a fight scheduled this month so it’s unclear why this belt has been created, perhaps to put Foley in line for Nasiyiwula).
‘Super Foley’ has won twice this year so far, with a stunning knockout of Sonny Katiandagho and a messy technical decision win over Jeffrey Arienza. Hiroshima 22 year old Ikeda [12(8)-3(1)-2] has built his record mainly at home, but has not yet fought at the top domestic level in Japan.
