Stronger Niamh Earley plots Senior success

Niamh Earley retained her flyweight Under-22 title on Friday night and is developing into a dangerous little fighter.

The Kildare puncher defeated Caitlin Fryers in a bruising 51kg decider, with the muscle-bound Earley looking the stronger in a somewhat messy encounter.

Two underage World medallists, the styles just didn’t gel at the National Stadium but Earley would eke out the win.

Afterwards the Ryston talent would tell Irish-Boxing.com that “it was a little bit scrappy. I felt that, when I was stepping in, she was holding on, and it would be the two of us wrestling each other.”

“We are a similar style of boxer and I think that made it that it turned into a bit of a brawl. She’s a quality boxer anyway so I’m delighted to have gotten that.”

Earley has settled into the flyweight division, an Olympic class, following a period of moving about and is feeling and fighting much the better for it.

The 19-year-old explained how “I’ve been working on sharpness and just getting comfortable at the weight. That has brought me on, constantly training and doing a lot of strength and conditioning.”

“When I was a Junior I boxed at 52kg, since I was 15 I was 52kg, then I went up to 54kg for the [2017] Intermediates and I came back down to 54kg. I was too small for 54kg and now I’m comfortable at 51kg, I’m walking around at 52kg max.”

Earley is improving rapidly and will launch another assault on the Elite Championships next month.

Last year the youngster was defeated by the experienced Céire Smith in the final, but is sure that her time is coming.

She recalls how “I knew I was going in against a top boxer and I knew it was going to be a tough fight. You can only learn from it, the experience, and I have.”

Photo Credit: National Stadium Boxing Videos