‘I Want Finn Valley to Have That York Hall Vibe’ – Jason Quigley’s Big Vision

By Chris McNulty

Professional boxing is back in Stranorlar this weekend – and Jason Quigley wants the Finn Valley Centre to become an iconic hub for the sweet science.

Fight Night at the Valley 2 takes place on Saturday night with seated tickets already sold out for the much-anticipated show.

Promoted by Quigley, a former world middleweight title challenger and now leading the Sheer Sports on this end of the Atlantic, Fight Night at the Valley 2 will showcase some exciting up-and-coming talent.

“There are venues in the UK and the USA regularly holding boxing and they’re nowhere near the standard of the Finn Valley Centre,” Quigley said. 

“The facilities that the Finn Valley Centre has there to host a professional boxing event, it’s just breaking that mould and getting it for the name. 

“I would love the Finn Valley Centre to have that York Hall vibe in 10, 20, 30 years down the line; that Finn Valley becomes that iconic hub for professional boxing where you might get the odd mid-level title but that lad goes on and ends up becoming a world champion.”

Six bouts are on the bill on Saturday, topped by Raphoe Boxing Club graduate Danny Duffy.

The former Irish bantamweight champion is 3-0 in what has been something of a stop-start pro career – but the pocket rocket from Strabane is ready to shine. Duffy goes against Mexican Lakshmy Zaragoza Contreras over six rounds.

Last year, at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny, Duffy overcame Ricky Starkey in an exciting bout. In his previous two outings, Duffy defeated Steven Maguire and Jake Pollard

Enniskillen lightweight Rhys Owens will feature in the co-main event, also over six rounds, against Erick Omar Lopez from Mexico. 

Owens (3-0), who won Irish and Ulster Elite titles in 2024, goes to Stranorlar on the back of a win over Yahir Alexander Solorio Morales at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast back in February.

Limerick’s Kian Hedderman (2-0) has won both of his pro fights inside the distance and will look for a hat-trick here.

Danny Boyle (3-0-1) from Dungloe will duck through the ropes again for his latest home bout. Boyle last fought in 2023 when he defeated Daniel Borisov on points after six rounds at the Aura Leisure Complex in Letterkenny. 

Derry native Simon Clarke, recently signed by IGB Boing, will make his professional debut while David Weir, who hails from Ardara, will fight in Ireland for the first time. Weir enjoyed two recent wins in Dubai and will aim to shine under the local spotlights.

Quigley said of his first show in Stranorlar in February: “I couldn’t really ask for it to have gone any better. The crowd was amazing, atmosphere was amazing and most importantly the fights were great. We had some quality fighters on the night, showed up and gave it absolutely everything. 

“The crowd seen a little bit of everything; they seen stoppages, they seen fights go in the distance, they seen men knocked out and that’s what it’s about for the paying customers. We’re back for a reason – because it was a success.”

General tickets have all sold out, but some standing tickets are still available. 

Looking at the general boxing landscape, Quigley believes his approach can make serious inroads in the sport.

“Unless you’re a standout amateur fighter coming from Olympic medals or world medals – I mean European medals even, aren’t really cutting it now – the likes of Matchroom and Queesnberry are not really just signing these boys up off the back now. 

“It’s a lot harder for these fighters to achieve and to get to where they want in the sport and I think that I have the perfect opportunity here to pick up a lot of talent that just aren’t getting that opportunity and that I can build and grow locally. 

“They can do things more locally, they can build up their career, they can progress and then when the time comes the likes of Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren, Turki Al-Sheikh and Dana White now can all look at these fighters and be like ‘I want him’. That is the big aim and the big goal for these shows. 

“Of course you have to have a dream, you have to have an ambition. The Aura Centre there in Letterkenny has the capacity to nearly 2,000 which you can do a pretty good show with a decent good title on there and that’s the aim long term locally. 

“We’re going about things very steadily and calmly and building the foundations of this company and this structure and I’m excited to see where it’s going now.”