Knockdowns Galore on dramatic night for Irish boxers
There were three wins from three last night for Irish prospects but it was not an evening without drama.
Steven Donnelly and Davey Oliver Joyce were in action at Madison Square Garden in New York, both picking up points wins while Rohan Daté scored a knockout in Portsmouth.
The big drama was in the Big Apple where Joyce touched the canvas for the first time in his pro career.
The Mullingar super featherweight had dropped Mexican Jorge Rojas Zacazontetl [4(2)-5(0)-1] in the opening round but was then floored himself in the second. Invigorated, the Mexican came on strong and had a good fourth but Joyce got the better of the exchanges to score a 58-54, 58-53×2 unanimous decision win.
Joyce improves to 9(7)-0 following the hard-fought win.
A few minutes beforehand in the Felt Forum it was ‘The Donn’ who opened the show and the Ballymena light middleweight was utterly dominant against Ray Cervera [0-3(0)].
Donnelly dropped his opponent thrice in the opening two rounds and threatened to steamroll the Californian who did well to see the final bell. The cards all read 40-33 to Donnelly who moves to 4(0)-0 just two months on from his pro debut.
On the other side of the Atlantic there was a statement win for Rohan Daté.
The Waterford welter became the quickest man to stop ultra-durable Nigerian Innocent Anwanyu [25(15)-38(6)-3], putting the Dutch-based fighter away in the third round.
Daté improves to 6(5)-0-1 and is now being built towards a fight with formerly Belfast-based Pompey puncher Michael McKinson [15(2)-0], currently holder of the WBC International Silver rankings belt.
