Hughes hoists National prize to cap superb boxing season

By Stephen Leonard

JONATHAN Hughes capped a great season of boxing for himself by winning the National Junior Cadet 43kg Championship title in the National Stadium on Friday.

Having previous mopped up Dublin League and Championship honours at 42kg, the Jobstown Boxing Club lad made a strong start in the decider against Liam Kearns of Monkstown.

The strength and conditioning work he had done in the weeks leading up to the competition did take its toll however, and he tired somewhat in the second round.

Yet a strong finish in the third was enough to see him emerge on the right side of a split decision after the final bell.

“He [Hughes] has developed well and is very dedicated. He puts in 100 percent” said Jobstown coach Amanda Spencer.

Hughes started his march towards this national title with another split decision win, this time over Jack Geoghegan of Olympic Mullingar before earning a unanimous decision against Tiernan Glennon of St Joseph’s in the semi finals.

And his victory over Kearns in the decider has subsequently secured him a place on the Irish squad that will travel to Croatia for the European Schoolboy Championships at the end of July.

It brought to 12, the number of titles Jobstown Boxing Club has notched up this year, with six girls and nine boys accounting for nine county honours this term.

Josh Olygian also enjoyed national success with the Tallaght club, winning the All-Ireland Boy One 54kg prize back in May.