Dean Gardiner wins Super Heavyweight Box-off to book place at European Championships
In a hastily arranged box off, Dean Gardiner confirmed his place on the Irish team for the upcoming European Championships with a win tonight over Martin Keenan.
The big men met tonight at the National Stadium to decide who will represent Ireland in Ukraine with Clonmel’s Gardiner overcoming his Rathkeale opponent after a frentic three rounds.
Keenan, who also hails from Tipperary, had won the 2017 Elite Senior title, however Gardiner did not weigh-in for this tournament due to injury.
Gardiner possessed a sizeable height and reach advantage and would take the bout on the scorecards via a 4-1 split decision and will make his way to Eastern Europe next week.
The tournament in Kharkiv runs from June 14th to 25th, with quarter finalists also qualifying for the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany this Septemver
IRISH SQUAD
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
