Hayden scoops his sixth National title

WILLIAM Hayden picked up his sixth National boxing title after he beat Jason Irwin of Castleblayney 5-0 for the All-Ireland Boy Four 66kg honour in the National Stadium on Saturday.

The young Crumlin Boxing Club star was coming up against the opponent he beat for the Boy Three crown last year and who, like Hayden, had medalled in the 2016 European Schoolboy Championships.

Yet he extended his perfect run in All-Ireland competition with a well-executed display last weekend.

“It was a very tough fight but I felt he [Hayden] won every round” said Crumlin BC Head Coach, Philip Sutcliffe.

“He was smart, aggressive and clever on his feet.

“He was up against a bronze medallist in the Europeans who was very slick on his feet, but William just picked him off with body and head shots.

“He was very positive in this fight. The first round was close, but in the second and third he did a lot more and was throwing a lot more punches,” he recalled.

Hayden, who won gold at the European Schoolboy Championships in Croatia last year and has twice won National Cadet honours, will be well pleased with his performance and hoping to again fight for a place on the Irish squad later this year.

Crumlin BC will now turn its attention to the start of the next round of National Championships for Boy One through to Three in which they will have no less than five in action, namely Patrick McDonald, Michael McDonald, Greg McKeever and Terry and Patrick Maughan.

The latter was among the winners for the club in their 8-2 triumph over a Manx selection in a tournament in the Isle of Man that took place last weekend.

On another note, the club will be running its annual Good Friday Show in his clubhouse in Pearse Park and this year will see a Liverpool selection involved.

Starting off around 3.15pm, the event is expected to comprise of some 30 bouts.