Team Ireland recording an opening day win at the World Boxing Championships at the M&S Arena in Liverpool.
540 boxers from 66 federations are contesting these champions, the first in which men and women compete for World gold together. The competition is the biggest ever Olympic-style boxing event held in the UK, and includes 17 medallists from Paris 2024 and more than 30 boxers that competed at the most recent Olympic Games. It features action at 10 weight classes for men and women with 80 medals being handed out, including 20 golds.
54kg Jennifer Lehane has opened Team Ireland’s account with a 5-0 win over Wicktoria Rogalinska – 30-27; 30:27, 30:27; 30:27, 29:28. This was a scrappy bout, with both boxers slipping to the canvas over the course of the boutShe’s through to the L16, and takes on USA’s Yoseline Perez in Monday’s Afternoon Session. Speaking to Boxing Scene her bout, Jenny said “I’m delighted that I came away with the win. The first day is always the hardest, getting the pre-fight nerves out of the way. So it’s great to get through it – I’m looking forward to the next one” and, she adds “Yeah, I’m confident in my training. We’ve had a really good few months, training at home and abroad. I’ve put in the work and I’m hoping to reap the rewards.”
Team Ireland Co-Captain 60kg Adam Hession exits the Championships with grace, following a storming, highly technical close-quarters bout against 18 year old Australian, Jacob Cassar. The decision was a 4-1 split: 28:29; 28:29, 27: 30, 28: 29, 29:28.
Team Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy leaves the World Championships on the narrowest of margins, following a dreaded 3-2 split decision against Dominican Republic’s Noel Pacheco. This was a close bout throughout, with Kelyn’s most assured and effective work in the first and 3rd rounds. The judges scored the bout 30:27; 27:30; 30:27, 29:28; 28:29
Complete Evening Session results are available here
Day Two
Five Team Ireland boxers open their accounts on Friday – The Afternoon Session begins at 11am; the evening session gets underway at 6pm
50kg Louis Rooney, a 2024 European U22 champion, will first step between the ropes against Jordan’s Huthaifa Eshish. That’s Bout 5 of Ring B’s Evening Session
Double Olympian and multiple Commonwealth Games medalist, 57kg Michaela Walsh is a Last 32 contest against Saudi Arabia’s Hadeel Ashbour in Bout 5 of Ring A’s Evening Session.
Paris Olympian 65kg Grainne Walsh will face Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova in Bout 4 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session.
75kg Gavin Rafferty is in a a 75kg weight category with 23 other boxers – and has been drawn against Azerbaijan’s Saidjamshid Jafarov. They meet in Bout 11 of Ring B’s Afternoon Session.
While and 90+kg Martin McDonagh opens his account at the Last 32 stage, taking on India’s Narender Narender in Bout 10 of Ring A’s Evening Session
Watch
World Boxing has partnered with Eurovision Sport to broadcast the Championship. Coverage, available HERE, begins at 11am on Thursday morning.
The championship website, where tickets are available for purchase, is HERE
Team Ireland
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow. Daina is from Bray, Co. Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin. Jenny is from Ashbourne, Co. Meath
57kg Michaela Walsh of Holy Family Golden Gloves BC Belfast.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford.
65kg Grainne Walsh of St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin. Grainne is from Tullamore, Co. Offaly
70kg Lisa O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon. Team Co-Captain
50kg Louis Rooney of Star BC, Belfast
55kg Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
60kg Adam Hession of Monivea BC, Co. Galway. Team Co-Captain
65kg Dean Clancy of Sean McDermott BC, Co. Leitrim. Dean is from Co. Sligo
70kg Matthew McCole of Illies Golden Glove BC Co. Donegal
75kg Gavin Rafferty of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
80kg Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal BC, Co. Waterford
85kg Brian Kennedy of St. Brigid’s BC Edenderry Co. Offaly
90kg Jack Marley of Monkstown BC, Dublin
90+kg Martin McDonagh of Galway BC
Support Staff
- Team Manager: Jon Mackey, National Performance Director
- Head Coach: Zauri Antia
- Coaches: Damain Kennedy, Lynne McEnery, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and JP Delaney
- Doctor: Jim Clover
- Lead Physio: Rob Tuomey
- Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton
- Logistics Support: Sean Crowley, High Performance Manager