AmateurHeadline NewsNews

Classy Clancy moves to within one win of a European medal

A dynamic Dean Clancy strolled into the Eurpopean Under 22 Championships quarter finals this evening.

The 19-year-old was too good for third seed Nenad Javanovic in Italy and won every round against the Serbian to move into the last eight.

Indeed, so impressive was the Sligo teen that he managed two score 10-8 rounds en route to his second victory in the tournament and his second win since moving up to light-welterweight.

The Sean McDermott BC fighter was classy from start to finish and had way to much speed, guile and ring craft for his highly ranked opponent.

He moved to within one win of a medal thanks to a 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-25, 30-27 scorecard.

Clancy established his jab early on and used it as a scoring weapon throughout the first. He also impressed getting in and out on his toes and landing sharp one-twos in the process. All five judges gave him the round.

The Sligo native was more dominant in the second, building on the foundations established in the first. There was a bit more variety to his work and although it wasn’t what the corner wanted he held his feet more on occasion, which allowed for combination punching.

He appeared to drop the Serb with a right hand late in the round but the referee deemed it a slip.

The third saw the 19-year-old battle between his desire to put on a show and follow his corner’s instructions to keep it simple. For the first minute, he kept it at range, boxed off the jab and scored with single punches. However, he gave into temptation on more than one occasion as the round progressed and let fast eye-catching entertaining combinations go.

Regardless of the approach chosen it was another round banked, and scored 10-8 in his favour by the Italian judge, en route to another very impressive win.

Clancy joined Sean Mari in the winners circle on a Friday of mixed fortunes for Ireland.

The Dublin flyweight defeated England’s Hamza Mehmood in his opening bout at the tournament in Roseto degli Abruzzi.

Gabriel Dossen and Niamh Early both lost to French opposition and exited the tournament at the last 16 stage.

2021 European U/22 Championships Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy
June 17
Last 32
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Pete Novak (Czech Republic) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Dan Krotter (Germany) 4-1

June 18
Last 32
52kg Sean Mari (Ireland) beat Hamza Mahmood (England) 4-1
Last 16
51kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Romane Moulai (France)
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Nenad Javanovic (Serbia)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) lost to Moreno Fendero (France)

June 19
Last 16
56kg Adam Hession (Ireland) v Gabor Virban (Hungary)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Eric Tudor (Romania)
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Raphael Monny (France) W/O
91kg Jack Marley (Ireland) v Dariusz Lasotta (Germany)

June 20th
Last 16
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Ireland) v Vincenzo Fiaschetti (Italy)
Q/Final
60kg Ellie Mai-Gartland (Ireland) v Paige Richardson (England)

Irish squad

51kg Niamh Earley (Ryston)
60kg Ellie Mai-Gartland (Clonmel)
52kg Sean Mari (Monkstown)
56kg Adam Hession (Monivea)
63kg Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
81kg Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg Jack Marley (Monkstown
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Celtic Eagles)

Team Manager: Tara Mari
Coaches: Eoin Pluck, Damain Kennedy, James Doyle
Physio: David Cooke

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

x