Back on the Ladder – Scaffolder Danny Boyle Ready to Climb Again
By Chris McMulty
London-based scaffolder Danny Boyle wants to start climbing the ladder again.
Dungloe man Boyle has had a frustrating time out of the ring, but the 29-year-old is back in the squared circle on Saturday night.
Boyle will open the Fight Night at the Valley 2 card in the Finn Valley Centre. His last bout was a shut-out 60-53 points win over Daniel Borisov at the Aura Leisure Complex in Letterkenny in late 2023.
“It’s been really tough the last nearly two-and-a-half years since my last show,” Boyle told Donegal Daily. “A lot of shows are meant to happen, a lot of opponents fall out, a lot of other medical issues and stuff especially the last eight months kept keeping me out of the ring.
“I was meant to be on the last two shows here but just couldn’t get cleared in time medically and it’s been a tough old road. Getting back here now is just brilliant.”
Boyle, who is 3-0-1 as a pro, will be cornered by London trainers Mark Jean-Pierre and Emmanuel Emeonye for a four-round super-middleweight clash with Richard Vaczi.
He said: “It’s the same buzz as last time. It is surreal so I’m delighted to be back home and boxing again at home.
“I didn’t know if this would come even up until the last few weeks. I’m delighted to get everything cleared and get back.”
While at Dungloe Boxing Club, Boyle won Irish Colleges titles in 2018 and 2019, fighting at 75kgs and 81kgs and representing Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
Boyle has been back at Dungloe BC for sparring in recent weeks and will bring a boisterous following from west Donegal to Stranorlar.
He said: “Donegal boxing has been overlooked a wee bit at the pro level definitely. Jason (Quigley) has obviously put it on the map and now he’s doing a great job to give all of us the chance to put it on the map even more.
“Without him we’d be stuck. I think this is vital. You look at someone like Jason, he had an amateur career so you think if you’re not doing the same level I’m never going to get that opportunity.
“I never thought of it before I went to London and I’d just done a few fights over there, got a bit of a buzz and got an offer to go pro in it. Around here that wasn’t the case so you wouldn’t even think that’s possible never mind having an avenue to do it.
“Now seeing the opportunity at home for the lads that are only young fellas now coming up winning amateurs and stuff like that to have this avenue for them to go and change their whole aspect of boxing.
“This actually gives you a goal now and a career probably that you can pursue instead of just thinking the amateur might be the best. Now it’s ‘I can get and if I do want to go more I have to be this level and go abroad probably to chase it’. You’re stuck to either going to Dublin, Belfast maybe and then myself abroad in London to get chosen to have it at home. Honestly it means so much to be able to do it at home.”
