Return of the Pat – Paddy Gallagher Returns to the Ring
It’s a case of return of the Pat, the Pat Man, that is.
Belfast Paddy ‘Pat Man’ Gallagher has come out of retirement.
The Commonwealth Games medalist has been confirmed on Conlan Boxing and Hammer Boxing’s first card of the New Year.
He joins Jack O Neill, Callum Bradley, Irish Champion Matty Boreland , debutant Jamie Graham, Donagh Keary, Cathal Jennings, Bernardo Marmine, Rhys Owens and Lex Weston on the undercard of Conor Quinn’s vacant Commonwealth title fight with Jake Dodd on February 27.
Gallagher, who has more recently taken to training, hasn’t fought since his 2019 Feile fight with the then British and Commonwealth title holder was stopped on cuts, not long after the Belfast man had twice dropped Jenkins, and looked well on course for a career best win as a result.
However, the fight went to the cards early and it was Jenkins’s hand that was raised. To make matters worse it was since proved that the cuts were caused by punches and not clashes of heads, meaning the popular and entertaining home fighter should have secured a TKO win.
It was a massive blow for the popular boxing figure and one he admits he has struggled to come to terms with.
“It was hard to take,” said Gallagher in an honest and open Sunday World interview. “To be beaten by a point when I should have won by TKO fair and square was difficult to accept.
“If it had gone my way it could have opened up a path to European titles and, who knows, maybe even a world title if I was lucky.
“I’m a box-office-type of fighter. The fans love my style because I just give everything.
“I always say my style might not be head friendly, but it’s certainly fan friendly so if I’d got the result I deserved from the Jenkins fight things could have been much different.
“Instead, it looks like it’s probably my last fight. There were some dark days after that fight.”
