Tag Archives: boxing

PROBABLY unknown to most younger readers, Kilnamona’s Mike McTigue is one of Clare’s all time sporting heroes, having won the World Light Heavyweight Title in 1923. With the centenary approaching, the world champion’s namesake Michael McTigue is going to create a new monument to one of Kilnamona’s most illustrious sons. Michael is actually a distant relative of the boxer, while locals Nicholas Rynne, Kevin Rynne and Antoinette McCormack are grand nephews and a grand niece of the man who took the belt. With the Civil War raging around Dublin, McTigue won the title on St Patrick’s Day, 1923, with a points victory over Senagalese fighter Battling Siki. Unlike today when there are numerous belts and four major sanctioning bodies, in 1923 there was just one world champion. At light heavyweight, McTigue was the man. The story of the fight is worthy a book in itself, with Siki having recently become the champion against the odds; McTigue being an outsider but …

MIKE McTigue beats Battling Siki was the headline of the lead story  in The Clare Champion the week after the Kilnamona man took the World Light Heavyweight title on St Patrick’s Day 1923. Sub-headlines read ‘Clareman’s wonderful display’ and ‘Triumph of brain over brawn’. The paper had pictures of the two fighters across its front page, while the lead story described the excitement and anticipation that gripped the county, as people waited for news from Dublin. “Ennis was agog with excitement on Saturday evening, anxiously awaiting the result of the fight between Battling Siki and Mike McTigue for the light heavyweight championship of the world and the heavyweight championship of Europe. “Large crowds arrived from the most distant parts of the county and from 8.30pm onwards, rumours and counter rumours with regard to the result of the contest filled the air. (See rather grainy footage from the fight on YouTube link below) “The suspense was almost unbearable and great was …

ENNIS boxer Paddy Donovan had been due to have his sixth professional fight in the UK on Friday week, but it is now set to happen next month. “The fight that was to be on January 22 had to be cancelled because of Covid, there’s no boxing being held in the UK, the British Boxing Board of Control have suspended all boxing. It looks like he’s going to be fighting on February 19, in the UK again,” his trainer and manager Andy Lee said. At present no opponent has been finalised. The 22 year old Donovan has won all of his first five contests, three by way of knockout and is widely seen as an outstanding prospect.

ENNIS boxer Paddy Donovan has had his fight, which was scheduled for St Patrick’s Day in New York, cancelled. Donovan, who was part of Tyson Fury’s training camp for the recent heavyweight title fight, had been due to fight Gregory Young, on the undercard of an event headlined by Michael Conlan, at Madison Square Garden. In a message on Facebook the ‘Real Deal’ wrote, “Thank you all for your support. My fight has been cancelled due to the Corona virus, sorry to everyone that was coming to see me. I can’t argue with this decision, health and safety of the fighters and people is most important at this time.”

ENNIS welterweight Paddy Donovan has his third professional fight this Friday night in the UK, while he has been installed on the undercard of Michael Conlan’s next fight in New York on St Patrick’s Day. On Friday, he will face Nicaraguan Oscar Amador in Bolton and it should be a relatively easy night’s work for Donovan. The 20-year-old welterweight is trained by former world champion Andy Lee, who acknowledged that Amador is really a journeyman fighter. “He is, yeah, but he has been in with some very good fighters, world-class fighters. This is where Paddy’s at in his career, picking up experience. Right before Christmas, we wanted a fight where he will learn a bit more.” A hugely successful amateur, Lee says that keeping his focus outside of the ring is probably the biggest challenge his protege has had to deal with since turning professional. “The lifestyle, I think, is the biggest adjustment for Paddy; it is something he is …

ENNIS boxer Paddy Donovan will have his first professional fight when he takes on Eduardo Valverde in Belfast on October 11. Twenty-year-old Donovan signed with Top Rank in June and is seen as a major prospect in the pro ranks, having had a stellar amateur career. He is trained by former WBO world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who said he is glad his fighter will begin his career on Irish soil. “It’s nice to be fighting at home, all Paddy’s family and friends are going to get the chance to see him start this journey which, if it goes to plan, will be long and successful. It’s always good to fight in Ireland.” The fight is scheduled for six rounds and while prospects like Donovan normally start with handy victories, Andy said this challenge is a bit different. “Valverde has two wins and two losses, so he’s got a 50% record. It’s a fight that we’re confident of Paddy winning …

ENNIS welterweight Paddy Donovan has signed a deal to turn professional with US promoters Top Rank, while former World Champion Andy Lee will train and manage the 20 year old. From Clancy Park and a former student of Ennis CBS, Donovan has won 13 Irish titles and is a former junior world silver medallist. On Thursday afternoon Lee said he has everything it takes to win a professional world title. “He was a very successful amateur, he won everything there is to win, only five defeats in 166 fights. When you watch him box he is very exciting. He has all the ingredients to be a world champion as a professional boxer. You can see his style, how he fights, also his attitude. Having got to know him over the last three or four months, he has the right character and the personality to make it and go all the way.”     Top Rank have been involved with a …

THE Clare County Juvenile Championships were held in Lisdoonvarna last weekend, in conjunction with the Doolin Boxing Club tournament, before a capacity crowd in the Pavilion Theatre. Fynn Randall took the 48kg title in style, beating Ennis Boxing Club favourite Joseph O’Brien, while Sadhbh Blood took the 63kg title to advance to the Munster Girls Championships in April. Kilfenora’s Stephen Murphy upset the odds with a pristine performance against Doolin’s Eoin Kelly in the final of the 35kg boys class. There were outstanding displays from James Manning and Colin Fitzpatrick from the Ennis Club, against Kilfenora’s Dean Downes and Josh Moloney. Heavyweights Woytech Koper and Bernie McDonagh from St Anne’s in Westport brought the crowd to their feet in the final contest of the night, as they battled each other to a standstill, before the Westport protégé took a split decision in an absorbing fight. Ennis boxer Jamie Connors confirmed the pre-fight favourites tag in the 60kg final, with a …