Local novices bring home National C’ship honours
ST MARY’S, Westside, Crumlin, Drimnagh and Mount Tallant were among the local boxing clubs who boasted title winners at last weekend’s National Novice Championships in the National Stadium.
For the former, Samuel Ilesanmi produced a devastating performance that saw him knock out Isreal Akinnroye of DCU less than a minute into their Super Heavyweight title bout on Saturday.
Westside Boxing Club’s Alabi Lateaf has his hand raised following his victory over Andreas Clemenger on Saturday
With Akinnroye coming on strong, Ilesanmi served up a swift combination and caught his opponent with a heavy right that brought the contest to an early close.
“He [Ilesanmi] has extremely fast hand speed” said St Mary’s Head Coach Noel Burke. “I’ve never seen that type of speed in that weight division.
“He has speed and power and he won the college championships earlier. But he’s also the type of boxer who pays attention and does everything you ask of him” he added.
That victory completed an impressive campaign that saw Ilesanmi beat Sean Kelly of Four Kings BC on a unanimous decision in the last eight before recording another 5-0 victory over Crumlin’s Augustine Eze in the semi finals on Friday night.
Next up for him will be a trip to Dungarvan for the Celtic Box Cup this weekend.
Crumlin Boxing Club’s Michael Rudolf mean-while raised the National Novice Heavyweight crown following his 4-1 win over Bay City’s Damien Singerzeon.
Delighted with the performance of his protégé, Crumlin Coach Philip Sutcliffe said “He [Rudolf] is a boxer and he kept him [Singerzeon] at long range while he picked him off. This was his first champ-ionship, but he showed that he’s strong and gutsy.”
The day before, Rudolf had come through a tough semi final clash with Drmsna’s Jason Sherlock, winning on a split decision.
So impressed were Crumlin’s coaching team by his performances that they have decided to field Rudolf in next month’s National Senior Championships.
Michael Rudolf with Crumlin Boxing Club coaches Bra Brady and Philip Sutcliffe
Near neighbours Drimnagh BC also boasted a National Novice champion in Jordan Carney who carded a 5-0 unanimous decision against Anthony Ormond of Donore in Saturday’s decider.
“He [Carney] came to train with us from the army and was a little raw so we just polished him up and he’s done really well” said Drimnagh coach William Carruth.
Carney’s victory came a day after he took a 5-0 unanimous decision in his penultimate round clash with Brian Gillard from Dunboyne and marked a tenth national title for the club this season.
Westside’s Alabi Lateaf turned in a solid display to beat Andreas Clemenger of Smithfield 4-1 in the Novice Lightweight Final.
Coming up against a taller opponent with longer reach, Lateaf and his team had to adjust their tactics as Westside Coach Frack Stacey explained “I would have given the first round to Clemenger, but we changed a few things and got Alabi to step in closer.
Samuel Ilesanmi with St Mary’s BC Secretary Mel Leonard after his Super Heavy title win
“He did that over the second and third rounds and once he got in on the inside he got those shots off and did enough to win the fight.”
This win followed up on his 5-0 triumph over John Nolan of Drimnagh in the semi finals the week before and it sets him up nicely for a crack at the Celtic Box Cup in Dungarvan to which he will travel with clubmate Jeffrey Lumanisa.
The Novice title win was another boost for the Tallaght club which will be fielding a number of members in the Dublin Leagues later this month and is also gearing up for a trip to Winnipeg where their 12-strong team will face a Canadian selection in March.
Mount Tallant’s Kevin Cummins served up an impressive 5-0 victory over Lee Crawford of St Matthews to land the Novice 57kg title.
TAGS Sport
