Athlone boxers show their skills at exhibition event

The Monsignor McCarthy Complex in Battery Heights was full of activity on a recent Saturday afternoon as Athlone Boxing Club hosted an exhibition tournament involving more than 70 young boxers from across the Midlands.

The well-attended event on June 18 gave the boxers a chance to spar with each another in front of an audience in order to help their development in the sport.

Importantly, everyone who laced up the gloves was presented with a medal afterwards.

Boxing clubs from various parts of the region, including Spartacus (Tullamore), Brosna (Ballinagore), Longford, Frenchpark, and the Olympic, Elite, and Punishers clubs from Mullingar, came to Athlone to take part in the tournament which got underway at 1pm.

During the event, Athlone Boxing Club coach Rory Parkes thanked sponsors who provided invaluable support to the club recently, including Patrick O’Neill, and his team at Zenith Adhesive Components in Blyry, who kindly donated new punch bags for the club.

“The bags will offer the young people in the club many years of training and ensure the club has up-to-date equipment for them to use,” said Rory.

“The club would like to thank Ioan Marginean of Athlone Car Wash for kindly sponsoring the medals for the boxing exhibition, and would also like to thank Dolores from the Family Resource Centre for the sponsorship of our new girls and boys club tracksuits.”

In addition, Rory thanked John Cusack, Alan Coffey and Chris McDonagh from Athlone Community Taskforce for giving their time and effort to help seek funding and further support for Athlone Boxing Club. “It is greatly appreciated by all members of the club,” he said.

Professional light heavyweight Joe Ward was among those helping out at the event and two of his sons, Joe and Jerry, boxed in the tournament.

There was a good sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie among the boxers and some fine up-and-coming talent was on display, which bodes well for the future of Athlone Boxing Club.