Ward takes national crown and dethrones King Kenny

THEY said it couldn't be done. But Moate boxing sensation Joe Ward believed he could beat ten-time Irish champion Kenny Egan - and last Friday night at the National Boxing Stadium in Dublin, the Westmeath man overcame the odds and is now the newly-crowned light-heavyweight senior boxing champion of Ireland. Ward's meteoric rise through boxing's ranks has never been in doubt, but this latest victory over Olympic silver medallist Egan at the IABA Elite Senior Championship Finals must go down as one of the finest achievements of modern times by a Westmeath sportsman. Now only 17, Ward was a mere six years old when Egan won the first of ten straight national titles, but he developed his own growing reputation by winning world titles at youth and junior levels. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Ward said he was "over the moon" with the win. "I went into the fight as big-time underdog, but I didn't mind that at all. I suppose I had very little to lose, but I've always compared myself to the senior boxers, not to under-19s or anything else, and now I've got where I believed I could. My plan was push Kenny back as much as possible and get him on the defensive, and it worked out well for me. I put a lot of work into the fight, a load of preparation, and I was confident it would pay off. "I knew Kenny very well from sparring with him and thought I'd a great chance of beating him. It was an exciting fight and it's a brilliant achievement to win the title. I'm over the moon with it and want to keep going further now," he said. In the build-up to last Friday's fight, Ward exuded confidence and a determination to topple Egan, but most observers thought it unlikely that the experienced Egan could be defeated. Among those to express such a view was RTE analyst, Olympian and former Irish champion, Mick Dowling, who suggested that Ward "could make things very difficult" for Egan, but that the Dubliner would have too much for the Moate youngster. The first round was a low scoring 'cat and mouse' affair, with Ward on the offensive while anxious to keep the defending champion at long range. The contrasting styles cancelled each other out until the Moate man landed a stunning left hook to lead 2-1 after the first three minutes. As the second round progressed, the Neilstown boxer used all his experience, guile, and ringcraft to plunder a 4-1 lead. When referee, Sadie Duffy, instructed Ward to keep his head up, one wondered whether Joe could maintain the momentum. However, belying his years, he continued to more than hold his own in a thrilling encounter. Ward's talent and perseverance were rewarded when Egan received a public warning for keeping his head low. The penalty meant that the round finished on a scoreline of 4-4, to rapturous applause from the large Westmeath contingent. Early into the final three minutes, Egan received a second public warning for the same offence as in round two. With Ward now 7-5 ahead, the fight was interrupted as he was given a precautionary eye inspection. It soon became obvious that Egan was losing his composure in the face of the Moate star's determination and terrific skill. Suddenly, the champion was floored with the best shot of the contest, which took Ward into a 9-5 lead. He was now on top in all departments, as the fight raced to its inevitable conclusion, a glorious victory for the Westmeath teenager on an 11-6 scoreline. Kenny Egan, as always, was gracious in defeat, and in the best traditions of the sport, congratulated Ward, whom he readily admitted was the better man on the day. The Moate man is now in a superb position to qualify for the London Olympics next year. Ward's first opportunity to cement a place at the Olympics will arrive in September when he travels to Baku in Azerbaijan for the European Senior Championships. Ward will ensure qualification for the Olympics if he reaches the quarter-finals in Baku, and even if he falls short in Azerbaijan, will still have another shot at qualifying at a tournament in Turkey later in the year. Ward has always championed himself as a genuine contender for the Olympics, and now his dream is within touching distance. "You probably have to win two or three fights in Azerbaijan to reach the quarter-finals, but I'll be going there as Irish champion, and to win every single fight I contest," said Ward. "I'm confident of reaching the Olympics. If I can beat an Olympic silver medalist (Kenny Egan) then I've a great chance. Hopefully, things will go well and I'll qualify for the Olympics through the Azerbaijan tournament," he added. Meanwhile, Athlone Boxing Club's Kenneth Okungbowa fell just short in his bid to become super-heavyweight champion at the same venue last Friday. The final contest of the evening matched Nigerian-born Okungbowa against Cathal McMonagle from the Holy Trinity Boxing Club, Belfast, in the 91+kg division. Four times national senior champion McMonagle was clear favourite to overcome the relatively inexperienced Athlone IT student and proud holder of both Under-21 and Intermediate Irish titles. Okungbowa's tight defence and skilful jab took him into an early 3-1 lead at the end of a first round where he used his height advantage and much-vaunted punching power to great effect. His opponent made a better start to the second round, when he went on the offensive to take a 4-3 lead, before Okungbowa levelled at 4-4 with a stunning jab. The boxers exchanged points before, in the dying seconds of the round, McMonagle shaded it on a 6-5 scoreline. The final three minutes saw McMonagle hold on against a two-handed onslaught from the Athlone man before retaliating with a flurry of punches to establish a comfortable 9-5 cushion. The greater experience was beginning to tell, although Okungbowa continued to distinguish himself with his determination and skill. However, the pressure eventually told and Okungbowa was given a mandatory standing count with approximately 50 seconds left on the clock. McMonagle eventually emerged the clear winner, even if he was somewhat flattered by a final scoreline of 12-5 in his favour. "Kenny has done amazingly well this year and everyone at the club is very proud of him," stated Okungbowa's trainer, Rory Parkes, who regarded the senior championships as "another step-up" for his rising young star. Meanwhile, Athlone Boxing Club's female boxer (60kgs) Cheyanne O'Neill claimed her first Leinster Championship last weekend, when defeating her opponent from Athy last Saturday. Hard hitting O'Neill stopped her opponent in round one with a barrage of head shots, leaving the referee no choice but to call a halt to proceedings. O'Neill, 14, now progresses to represent Leinster at the All-Ireland Championships this coming weekend.