AmateurFeaturesHeadline NewsOn This DayPro News

On This Day: June 20th

2009 The final day of perhaps the most successful tournament Irish boxers have ever been involved in.

At the EU Championships in Odense, Denmark, Ireland entered nine boxers and walked away with nine medals.

David Oliver Joyce, Darren O’Neill, and Con Sheehan all claimed top prize, while Willie McLaughlin, Declan Geraghty, and John Joe Nevin came away with silver. Eric Donovan, Phil Sutcliffe Jr, and Kenny Egan went out in the semi-finals with bronze medals.

Unsurprisingly, Ireland were named as Team of the Tournament.

Full results for the tournament can be found here.

2008: Fighting for the first time in almost three years, Wayne McCullough retired on his stool at the end of the sixth round in what would be his final bout.

The Pocket Rocket took on the unheralded Juan Ruiz in the Cayman Islands and it was apparent that the 37 year old Belfast man had was past his best and had lost the spark that had made him one of the most exciting and successful Irish fighters in history.

Leading on the cards at the time of the withdrawal, McCullough would never fight again following the loss.

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

x