Five FANTASTIC Opening Weekend National Elite Championship Clashes to Watch Out For

The National Elite Championships are back.

The blue ribbon tournament starts with a bang, with the opening weekend as busy as it is star-studded and intriguing.

Emerging talents, stalwarts, Elite Internationals, decorated underage starlets, regular champions and fresh-faced hopefuls all meet with semi-final and final places up for grabs at the National Stadium on the South Circular Road.

There are plenty of quality fights to take in and such is the nature of the tournament that any fight can ignite. Not to mention personal preference will play a part but we’ve picked five that we feel stand out for differing reasons.

90kg Wayne Rafferty (Dublin Docklands) V Michael O’Reilly (St Brigids Kildare)

Michael O’Reilly will step through the National Stadium ropes for the first time since he defeated Conor Wallace to in the 2016 National Elite final.

Indeed, he fights for the first time since he secured Rio Olympic qualification. His ban from that Games and the controversy that surrounded it will no doubt generate intrigue. However, there will be many excited to see what the St Brigids fighter has to offer domestically. Before he was the recipient of a four year ban the then Portlaoise puncher was deemed a genuine Olympic medal hope. A big punching natural talent who travelled to Brazil as World medal winner with promoters circling.

He returns up the scales at heavyweight and enters a world dominated by Jack Marley of late. HIs first opponent in a decade will be a bonifide big man and someone who is more than at home at the weight in Wayne Rafferty, so easing your way back in isn’t an option.

60kg Zara Breslin (Tramore BC Waterford) V Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s BC, Tallaght)

It’s always exciting when a two-time Olympic gold medal winner graces the famous Stadium ring. Even more so when it’s one of your own, and to add a little bit more intrigue, it’s Kellie Harrington’s first competitive fight since she graced the podium in Paris.

Although the Zara Breslin element plays a part in that interest, during Harrington’s sabbatical, the Tramore boxer has taken the lightweight number one slot, become a High Performance regular, and represented her country on the International stage.

Circumstances are set to make this the most competitive fight the old foes and regular sparring partners have had.

65kg Grainne Walsh (St Marys BC, Tallaght) V Ava Henry (Dublin Docklands)

Grainne Walsh versus Ava Henry is as mouthwatering as it gets.

A match-up with plenty of narrative, Shakespeare-level subplots, and the potential to deliver real drama.

Walsh is the deserved number one at the weight domestically and is up there with the best at 65kg in the world, while Henry is an emerging, decorated talent with LA 2028 aspirations.

This weekend marks the first of what could be a long battle for the Irish jersey come Olympic qualification time.

As a four time underage European medal winner, the Dublin Docklands’ teen has long since been earmarked as one who could have a massive impact in the senior ranks, but Walsh has battled all manner of adversity to earn her domestic front-runner status, and the experienced and always competitive Paris Olympian won’t have any designs on giving it.

Throw in the mix that both can punch and are two of the more aggressive amateurs on the circuit and you’ve a fight no one should miss.

65kg Roy Colgan (Avona BC, Dublin) V John Paul Hale (Star BC, Belfast)

It’s recent youth graduate, and one to watch out for versus a fighter who has walked the emerging talent path when Roy Colgan and JP Hale meet in a competitive weight class.

Colgan, who represented Ireland at the most recent at the most recent U23 Championships, is just 20 but has Elite experience and registered a big win over Olympian Dean Clancy in last years contest before losing an extremely entertaining final to Jason Nevin.

Star BC’s Hale is a veteran is a National Elite veteran despite the fact he’s just 25 years of age. He finished top of the domestic pile as far back as 2021 and has been there or there abouts since. He comes into the tournament looking to take back the number one slot and in form having claimed his sixth Ulster title as recent as December. The fact such decorated boxers meet at the quarter final stage just highlights the depth in the weight class.

70kg Cian Cramer (Cabra BC, Dublin) V Damien Creavin (Olympic BC, Galway)

If speaking in por boxing parlance this match up would fall under the ‘trade fight’ heading.

Cian Cramer and Damien Creavin may not have as many titles as some of the other National Elite entrants but it remains a good honest match up with the potential to entertain.

Two tournament regulars who have a history of being in fan friendly fights. What’s not to like?