New kids on the block celebrate clean sweep
Seconds Out
By Eamonn O’Hara & Thomas Hawkins
21/07/09
NORTHERN Ireland’s boxers cruised to two emphatic wins in
the United States last weekend. The 10-man team Northern
Ireland team beat a New Jersey select 7-2 on Friday night
before seeing off a New York squad 7-1 the following
evening.
Every boxer on the trip scored a win and team manager Jack
Monaghan was full of praise for the entire squad who showed
superior technique and fitness to deal with their flashy,
big-hitting hosts and fully deserved their wins.
“It was a very good experience for the lads, particularly
the younger ones,” he said.
“It’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their
boxing careers, if not for the rest of their lives.”
Monaghan, the Ulster council treasurer, admitted that he had
not expected the Northern Ireland boxers to perform to such
a high standard.
“I was surprised with how good our guys were,” he said.
“I go to the training session and I’ve seen them all box
before, but, to a man, they all boxed above themselves –
this trip brought the best out of them.
“They worked well together and they wanted to win for
themselves and for the team.”
Monaghan singled out Stephen Donnelly’s meeting with Pedro
Sosa in New Jersey as the best of the 17 contests he saw.
“For me, it was the highlight,” he said.
“Sosa was a terrific puncher and he hit Stephen with a left
hook early on and dropped him.
“Stephen took another count before the end of the round, but
after that, Sosa never laid a glove on him – it was one of
the best contests I’ve ever seen.”
Donnelly went over on his ankle before the bill in New York
the following night, but was determined to box. The Northern
Ireland management were surprised to see that Sosa was there
ready to face him again.
“For my money, Stephen beat him again, but Sosa had the home
crowd behind him and he got the win.”
Gleann’s Paddy Gallagher also showed tremendous composure
and guts to recover from an early knockdown against Raul
Lopez.
“Lopez floored him after about 30 seconds,” recalled Jack.
“But Paddy got up and, I don’t know where he got the punch
from, he hit him with a body shot and Lopez was down for
about three minutes.
“The doctor was in the ring and Lopez had to be taken off to
hospital with suspected broken ribs.”
Sixteen-year-old Immaculata prospect James Fryers totally
outclassed Steven Garrido when they met in New York.
“James boxed his way into the fight and then it was all
one-way traffic,” said Jack.
“He was very cool, very composed for a 16-year-old.”
The trip included a visit to New York boxing mecca Madison
Square Garden.
Jack feels that all the boxers on the trip will have
benefitted enormously from the experience.
“The guys will have gained greatly from this – both sides
will,” he said.
“They have been in the ring with boys who have styles
they’ve never come across before.
“I would say the Americans will probably have learned more
– we were technically superior and marginally fitter than
them.
“I was very pleased. We couldn’t have asked for a better
performance – every guy we took out got a win.
“The New York boys looked very flashy, they had all the
moves, but our boys just stuck to their task.”
Jack hopes that local boxers continue to be given exposure
to international opposition.
“We in the (Ulster) council have to keep the momentum
going,” he said.
“The only way to do that is to get the opposition to come
over here or to head out.
“The Americans are coming over here in December for the
return – they know how good we are now so they’ll be having
a good look round to find some good boxers.”