The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) has announced the launch of a major initiative to develop a new brand identity that reflects the pride, passion, and spirit of the boxing community.
One of the key outcomes from the member consultation process for the In Your Corner strategic plan was a clear call for a refreshed brand identity — one that tells the world how proud we are to be Boxing People.
To bring this vision to life, the IABA has engaged Branding Sport, industry leaders in sports branding, to collaborate with clubs, coaches, boxers, officials, elected leaders and fans in creating something truly unique for the boxing community.
“This project is about more than just a logo — it’s about celebrating who we are and where we’re going as a sport,” said Gary Stewart, CEO of the IABA. “We want everyone in the boxing family to have a voice in shaping the identity that will represent us for years to come.”
Branding Sport have an impressive portfolio, devising new identities for the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Squash Ireland, and Sport Ireland.
Members of the boxing community are invited to stay informed about the project and get involved in upcoming opportunities to contribute by subscribing to the IABA’s new weekly newsletter, The Round Up. You can read the first edition of The Round Up here:
The draw for the inaugural World Boxing Championships has taken place in Liverpool, and has set out the path to the podium for all 17 Team Ireland boxers.
540 boxers from 66 federations are contesting these champions, the first in which men and women compete for World gold together. The competition will be 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 will feature action at 10 weight classes for men and women with 80 medals being handed out, including 20 golds.
Contesting this Championships is made possible by IABA clubs’ decision in April to also affiliate to World Boxing, on a dual member basis. World Boxing, which will run boxing at the LA28 Olympic Games, affirmed IABA as a member in May.
The full list of national federations competing at the World Boxing Championships 2025 are: Albania, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Wales.
Draws
Paris Olympian, Daina Moorehouse of Enniskerry BC in Wicklow, will open her account at the Championships in Saturday’s Afternoon Session, which begins at 11am. She’ll contest against Laura Fuertes Fernandez of Spain, a fellow Olympian. Fuertes Fernandez is a World, European Games and Mediterranean Games bronze medalist. Daina’s full draw is available here
Paris Olympian 54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU BC is also in a Last 32 bout, taking on the Poland’s Wicktoria Rogalinska.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford, opens her World Boxing Championship campaign against Turkey’s Gizem Ozer – a 2023 European Games bronze medalist and 2022 European U22 silver medalist.
They meet in Saturday’s evening session. Zara’s full draw is available here
Team Ireland’s Grainne Walsh is in a stacked 65kg category – with 27 other boxers.
The Paris Olympian has been first drawn to face Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova in Friday’s Afternoon Session
Team Ireland’s Adam Hession finds himself in the largest weight category by number in the World Boxing Championships.
There are 43 boxers contesting for Male 60kg gold.
Adam will take on Australia’s Jacob Cassar in Thursday’s evening session. Adam’s full draw is available here
Paris Olympian Dean Clancy is another Team Ireland boxer is a stacked World Boxing Championships weight category.
There are 40 boxers contesting the top of the 65kg podium. Dean has been given a bye in the draw, and opens his campaign against Turkmenistan’s Ihlasbek Kochkarov on Sunday’s Evening Session
Team Ireland’s Matthew McCole opens his World Boxing Championship account on Saturday.There are 41 boxers in the M70kg category – it’s the 2nd largest in the competition
Matthew has a bye to the Last 32, and will meet Ronald Chavez of the Philippines.
Team Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy gets his World Boxing Championships underway on the opening day.
The 80kg category has 36 boxers competing for gold. Kelyn has been drawn against the Dominican Republic’s Noel Pacheco and first boxes in Thursday’s evening session.
Team Ireland heavyweight, Jack Marley, has been seeded 3rd in his weight at the World Boxing Championships.
That’s accorded him a bye, and he won’t be in action until Monday’s Afternoon Session – he’ll take on the winner of the meeting between England and Ukraine.
World Boxing has released the schedules for the first two days of boxing. 54kg Jenny Lehane, 60kg Adam Hession and 80kg Kelyn Cassidy are between the ropes on the opening day – while in action on Friday are in action are 50kg Louis Rooney, 57kg Michaela Walsh, 65kg Grainne Walsh, 75kg Gavin Rafferty and 90+kg Martin McDonagh
The Team Ireland team to contest the World Boxing European U19 Championship has been named.
The tournament, the first ever European U19 benchmark competition, will take place at the Černá Louka Arena in Ostrava, in the Czech Republic/Czechia from September 30th to October 9th.
The team includes 4 boxers from Dublin, 2 boxers from Louth, 2 boxers from Wexford, and 1 boxer apiece from Cork, Galway, Kildare, Waterford and Westmeath – all of whom are reigning national U19 champions. The team will be led and managed by Jennifer O’Sullivan Coffey of Sliabh Luachra BC, and coached by members of Central Council’s Coaching Commission: Liam Cunningham (Saints BC), Ralph McKay (St. Paul’s, A), Aoife Hennigan (Swinford BC) and Garry Kehoe (Marble City BC).
The draw and technical meeting will take place on Monday, September 29th. Preliminaries and quarter finals will be boxed September 30th to October 5th. Monday, October 6th will be a rest day, and all semi finals will be boxed across the 7th and 8th. Finals will take place from 3pm on Sunday, October 9th.
All afternoon sessions will begin at 10am, Irish time, and all evening sessions will get underway at 3pm.
Team Ireland
48kg Chloe Cox, Setanta BC, Co. Kildare
50kg Kurt Kinsella, Monkstown BC Dublin
51kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey BC, Co. Wexford
55kg Michael Reilly. St. Paul’s BC, Co. Waterford
57kg Grace Conway, Tredagh BC, Co. Louth
60kg Sean McCusker, Dealgan BC, Co. Louth
65kg John Donoghue, Olympic BC, Co. Westmeath
70kg Katelyn Butler, St. Colman’s BC Co. Cork
70kg Patrick Kelly, St. Abban’s/Kilmyshall BC Co. Wexford
75kg Nessa Tabachuk, Celtic Eagles BC, Co. Galway
75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC
85kg Chulainn McDonnell, Whitechurch BC, Dublin
90kg Shay O’Dowd, Swords BC Dublin
Support staff:
Team Manager: Jennifer O’Sullivan, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry
Coaches: Liam Cunningham, Saints ABC, Belfast; Ralph McKay, St. Paul’s BC, Belfast; Aoife Hennigan. Swinford BC, Co. Mayo; Garry Keogh, Marble City BC, Co. Kilkenny
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) is excited to announce a game-changing multi-year partnership with global giant Nike, the world’s biggest sportswear brand.
This collaboration marks a milestone, and means IABA international boxers will wear the iconic Nike swoosh, in the ring and on the podium, up to the LA 2028 Olympic. In partnering, IABA and Nike are raising the commercial profile of boxing, at home and worldwide.
IABA athletes are among the very best in the world – boxing is Team Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, and TeamNI topped the medals table at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Consistently producing world beating-performances and now collaborating with a world-beating brand is essential to growth and success, in and out of the ring.
The 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool September 4th to 14th, aside from being IABA’s maiden World Boxing benchmark event, will debut the IABA-Nike partnership.
Gary Stewart, IABA’s CEO, says “This exciting partnership, with a true global brand icon really demonstrates the world class reputation of our athletes. That our Nike partnership has its first outing during our World Boxing Championships is perfect timing.“
And, Gary adds “This is as unprecedented partnership for the IABA, and speaks to our new direction in terms of brand, identity and commercial relationships. The 2026 athleisure apparel will have retail availability over the coming months, deepening existing markets for boxing wear, and widening visibility for the IABA and Nike Boxing both in Ireland and globally.”
Eddie Brown, President of Athlete Performance Solutions, says, “Opportunities like this do not come around very often. The historic legacy, and the bright future, of Irish Boxing makes this an incredibly exciting relationship for Nike Boxing. We are thrilled to outfit these phenomenal athletes with premium performance footwear and apparel as they pursue world and Olympic podiums.”
World Championship Team Co-Captain Adam Hession says “The quality of the kit is unbelievable and the detail is amazing. I can’t wait to wear the swoosh in the ring! It will be an hour to wear Nike kit at the World Boxing Championship Opening Ceremony – when it will be seen by thousands of people” while Aoife O’Rourke, Team Co-Captain, says “Being comfortable in what you wear and how it looks helps performance, massively. It’s important to know you’re at the top of your game when stepping in to the ring, and having a top-class kit contributes to that – Nike is the best boxing kit in the world”
Team Ireland
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin.
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.
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.
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
World Boxing Championships
The team departs for Liverpool on the morning of September 2nd
The draw, which sets out the path to the podium for each boxer, as well as the days and sessions in which they will box, takes place on the afternoon of September 3rd. IABA will publish and share the draw.
Boxing takes place September 4th to 14th, with a rest day on September 11th. The session times are available HERE
Two sessions of semi-finals will take place on September 12th – while the first session on September 13th will see the completion of the semi-finals stage.
Finals will take place on the evening of September 13th, and throughout the day on September 14th
The team will return home at 7pm on September 15th.
34 new champions have been crowned at the National Stadium this evening, at the culmination of the 2025 National U15 Championships – Congratulations to all finalists, their clubs and families.
This championship, for boxers aged 13 and 14, began on August 8th with an entry of 162 athletes.
During this evening’s finals, IABA President Anto Donnelly paid tribute to the volunteer work of the Championship Committee, Referees and Judges, and competition officials, without whom these championships couldn’t take place.
Results:
27kg Patrick McDonagh (Banbridge) beat Tom Mongan (Holy Family Louth) 5-0
