Gormley: ‘There Were Plenty of Worried Faces at Ringside’ After Alin War

Lee Gormley insists his recent BUI Celtic title defeat to Teo Alin was far from the “comfortable win” some have suggested—and says the electric Belfast battle has only strengthened his hunger to chase domestic honours.

Gormley fought Alin in a thrilling, high-tempo war earlier this month, a fight he believes was much closer than some Alin fans and one set of scorecards suggested.

“It ended up a great domestic fight, just as we expected,” Gormley told Irish-boxing.com. “It was a far closer fight than what the judges—especially that one official in particular—had scored it. I was underestimated as the underdog and away fighter, but that only motivated me more.

“Teo’s a brilliant fighter and he started sharp, but we kept the pressure on and finished strongly. The post-fight narrative from their side that it was comfortable for them wasn’t true. There were plenty of worried faces at ringside throughout.”

Despite the sting of a narrow defeat, Gormley takes pride in what the pair delivered for fans at the Devenish.

“It was a very good scrap and we put on a show,” he said. “There are always little adjustments you think you could’ve made early on, but he got the result. It was his night, fair play and well done to them.”

The English-based Irish fighter had never boxed on home soil before, making the occasion even more meaningful.

“It was honestly surreal,” he said. “I’ve never been as focused and hyped for a fight as I was in Belfast. It was a special night to have friends and family there for the first time. I embraced the atmosphere going into the final rounds and the crowd really helped me rally late on.”

The recent title challenger expected Alin to box conservatively early but relished the heated exchanges that developed late.

“We knew he wouldn’t stand and trade from the start—that’s not his style,” he explained. “When it did get heated and we were trading late on, I was enjoying the buzz of it all. The last couple of rounds were electric. It was a great fight to be involved in.”

While a rematch with Alin appears unlikely in the immediate future, Gormley’s domestic title ambitions remain firmly intact.

“The Celtic or Irish titles have been and still remain a goal of mine,” he said. “Judging by what they were saying afterwards, their plan is to push on for bigger names and titles quickly. So a rematch probably isn’t in their thoughts. But I’d always be open to running it back down the line. Get an Irish title involved too—more rounds and more money in our pockets.”

Gormley also revealed that a move to featherweight for another Celtic title shot has already been discussed.

“Going after the Celtic title at featherweight is a possibility. It’s something that was brought up a while ago, so that could be one to target in 2026. I’ve got a lot more to push on for.”