Griffin three-peats on National stage
By Stephen Leonard
DRIMNAGH Boxing Club’s Kai Griffin has landed his third national title after beating Paul Fitzgerald of Corinthians in the 38.5kg Final in the Junior Cadet Champion-ships in the National Stadium on Saturday.
Having won Irish titles at Boy One and Two degree, Griffin was taking on a boxer in the Junior Cadet decider who was a year older, making his achievement all the more remarkable.
Drimnagh Boxing Club’s Kai Griffin celebrates winning the Junior Cadet 38.5kg title.
“It was a great fight although a bit sloppy at times” said Drimnagh Coach William Carruth.
“I felt Kai was throwing the clean punchers and that his opponent was just trying to disrupt him.
“Kai was there to box and if you let him do that, you’re finished. He’s an exceptional talent and now he’s going to the Europeans” he said.
Indeed Griffin will now be part of the Ireland squad that tarvels to Tbilisi in Georgia for next month’s European Schoolboy Championships.
While it is his first time to compete on the European stage, the Drimnagh boxer is no stranger to the international scene having contested several tournaments against overseas selections.
And he will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his renowned uncle Paul Griffin who won gold and bronze in European Senior Championship competition.
Indeed he never actually lost a fight at this level, having had to settle for his bronze medal after picking up an injury that forced him to bow out of his scheduled semi final.
“Kai could medal at these Europeans, but it really is about the luck of the draw” said Carruth.
“You want to be getting a fight under your belt and not immediately be coming up against a Georgian or a Russian” he said.
Drimnagh, meanwhile, just missed out on a second gold medal at the Junior Cadets after Georgia McGovern lost out yet again to Natalia Fasciszewska of Aglish BC in the Girls 51kg Final.
It is the third time McGovern has lost to this very opponent, but Carruth believes she is drawing closer to eventually toppling her.
“Georgia went there with a game plan and it almost worked” he said.
Drimnagh’s good showing in the Junior Cadets comes just a couple of months after they club recorded a hat-trick in the Boy One and two All-Ireland Finals.
Indeed Griffin, along with Jamie Collins and Aaron Keogh all scooped national honours in their respective divisions.
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