No Hard Feelings – Returning Declan Geraghty offers sympathy to Owen O’Neill
Declan Geraghty says Owen O’Neill deserved his sympathy rather than rage after missing weight for their Irish welterweight title fight.
Geraghty and O’Neill were set trade leather for the green strap on an MHD card last month. However, the Dubliner had his Irish title dream snatched from him on the scales. ‘Triple O’ came in almost 11lbs overweight and forced the Boxing Union of Ireland to pull the fight from the card.
It was a massively disappointing chain of events for fans, who were keen to see the clash, but more so a real ‘kick in the balls’ for Geraghty.
‘Pretty Boy’ saw the fight as an opportunity to add some gloss to a career he feels underwhelmed and as a chance to exit stage left with a title of note dropped over his shoulder.
“The whole situation is a kick in the balls,” he tells Irish-boxing.com before suggesting he has come acclimatised to heartache.
“I’ve had so many fights pulled, so I wasn’t surprised and all I can do is just get on with it. Boxing is my first love and it keeps breaking my heart.”
Considering the amount of weight former BUI Celtic light middleweight champion O’Neill came in over and the fact he had sacrificed to lose nigh-on two stone for the fight, the 33-year-old Dub had every right to be angry.
However, he showed real class by sharing a hug with the Belfast man on the day and has since moved to sympathize with his rival.
“I was sick but I knew he lost his nanny a few weeks ago and that’s why I didn’t go mad at him about it. I just wish Owen a healthy life and I hope his head is in the right place.”
The 34-year-old will finally see ring action for the second time this year this coming Friday.
The former Driminagh and Crumlin amateur has been added to JB Promotions debut card which plays out at the Warehouse in the Red Cow.
Geraghty will fight Andrej Moravek over four rounds.
Photo credit Belfast Boxers
