The Ulster Elite Boxing Championships will be decided at Girdwood Community Hub in north Belfast this week with three nights of action that begins on Wednesday.
In all, there is a healthy tally of 51 entries across the various divisions, although this has translated into a number of walkovers with just three of the nine female categories set to be contested on finals’ night, while there are also four male divisions with just one entry.
For the women, Carleigh Irving (48kg), Caitlin Fryers (50kg), Connie Gibbons (52kg), Nicole Clyde (54kg), Courtney McCrudden (57kg) and Erinn McGrath (75kg) have been granted those walkovers and in the male category, Star ABC pair Louis Rooney (48kg) and John Paul Hale (63.5kg), plus Ormeau Road’s Anthony Taggart (86kg) and Gilford super-heavy Willie John McCartan have a straight path.
Regardless, it promises to be an intriguing few days that culminate on Friday with boxers seeking to force their way into the mix for next summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 2024 edition saw just nine finals contested, but that number will tally 12 this time around which is an indication of a stronger field. Aside from the three female finals, which are already set, there are just two for the men as the process of deciding the remaining seven deciders begins in earnest this evening.
On Wednesday, five Quarter-Finals are set to take place with Jordan O’Donnell of Ormeau club, St George’s going up against Holy Family’s Jack Douglas at 60kg and the winner of this will have the honour of facing Dylan Eagleson in Thursday’s Semi-Final.
Eagleson has endured a tough time with injury since a huge 2022 that saw him claim Commonwealth gold and European silver as a featherweight, and he makes the step up to the lightweight division, so will be a keen observer of Wednesday evening’s Quarter-Final bout.
Also on Wednesday, there are a pair of Quarter-Finals in each of the 67kg and 75kg divisions with the winners to meet on Thursday for a place in the Final.
In the welterweight class, Holy Trinity’s Jojo McArdle takes on Townland’s Conor McCorry with Peter Weatherall of St Paul’s drawn against Cairn Lodge’s Gianni Richmond who was narrowly defeated in last year’s Final. Anthony Malanaphy will meet Clonard’s Darragh Smith in the other Semi-Final on Thursday.
Meanwhile, at middleweight, Sacred Heart Boxing Academy’s Philip Rooney meets Noel Grew of St Paul’s with the winner facing either Holy Trinity’s Kyle Smith or St Monica’s James McGuinness on Thursday when Emerald’s Daniel Ramsey and St John’s Eoghan Quinn contest the other last-four bout.
Before Wednesday’s Quarter-Final gets underway, there are five special contests slated with the evening’s action scheduled to begin at 7.30pm.