Exceptional weekend of boxing hosted by Westside

AROUND 300 boxers competed in an “exceptional weekend of boxing” as Westside Boxing Club hosted boxers from around Ireland and Europe in the inaugural Emerald Box Cup.

Taking place over three days, the Emerald Box Cup was hosted in Tallaght Leisure Centre with 300 boxers from the UK, France, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Sweden travelling over.

Upwards of 40 boxing clubs were represented across the weekend, and promoter Frank Stacey was delighted with how the first ever edition of the Emerald Box Cup turned out.

“It was an exceptional weekend of boxing, you had 15-year-olds all the way up to elite level boxers boxing very competitively in Tallaght,” Stacey, from Westside Boxing Club, tells The Echo.

“The feedback that we’ve gotten has been brilliant, we had a great venue as well in Tallaght Leisure Centre, we’re very proud with how it turned out.

“I’ve been at box cups all around the world and I can honestly say that Emerald Box Cup was up there with them.

Olympic Boxing Club, Emerald Box Cup Club of the Tournament

“It brings some of the best boxers around into Tallaght, we’re hoping to go again and make it a regular thing.”

Westside BC had six competitors boxing in the tournament, with Nathan Okikiolu a standout performer as he boxed his way to the Youth One 66kg title.

Matthew Reilly was named Youth Two 50kg champion and Zana Palani secured the 81kg senior title, while their clubmate Danny Fakoyede secured the super heavyweight title.

Tara Mari (Nutgrove BC) with Stephen Connolly (EUBC Referee and Judges committee), Anna Moore (St Francis BC), Karen Robins, Phillip Rooney (international referee) and Paddy Jennings (Palmerstown BC)

Across the weekend, there was also boxers from Crumlin BC, Nutgrove BC and Whitechurch BC in Dublin competing.

European champion Eric Donovan and Irish heavyweight boxer Thomas Carty presented prizes across the weekend.

Olympic Boxing Club from Mullingar were named Emerald Box Cup Club of the Tournament after claiming a haul of nine gold medals from 10 boxers.

Meanwhile, Stacie Goldthorpe, from Wildcard ABC in the Saint Helens, was named best female boxer and Scott O’Sullivan from Golden Gloves BC in Cork was named best male boxer.

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