A 16-strong team has been named to contest the inaugural World Boxing European U23 Championships.

The team is comprised of 2025 National U23 champions, and includes World bronze medalist Patsy Joyce, World Boxing Championship boxer Louis Rooney – who was a 2024 European U23 champ, 2024 European U23 bronze medalist, Robyn Kelly, World Youth champions Cliona Darcy (2022), and Adam Olaniyan, 2024 European Youth champion, Ava Henry and 2022 European Junior champion Tadgh O’Donnell

The team includes boxers from 9 counties: Antrim (1), Dublin (8), Down (1), Galway (1), Loais (1), Mayo (1), Meath (1), Westmeath (2) and Wicklow (1)

High Performance Director, Jon Mackey, says “This is a high potential team, a third of whom have achieved podium finishes at underage level on the European and World stages. This team begin their pre-competition bloc of training this week, and will receive international competition experience as part of their preparations.”

Mackey adds “Competition at U23 level is a vital step in bridging the gap between Youth and Elite levels, providing developing boxers with a platform to hone and test their skills. For many members of the team, it’s their introduction to formal High Performance process and culture and the first time they have had Sport Science Medicine practitioners and services to augment their boxing technical training. There’s an exciting 8 weeks ahead.”

Preparation

The team have begun a 10 week bloc of training at the High Performance Unit on the Sport Ireland Campus.

The team’s preparations will include a 3 day international Round Robin with an Ulster Select, England and Hungary, in October.

European Championships

The tournament is taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from November 21st to 30th.

The draw, which sets out the path to the podium for each boxer in a given weight category, will take place on the afternoon of November 22nd. Two rings will be in operation at Bok Sports Hall until the semi-final stage.

Preliminary rounds, including quarter finals, will be boxed from November 23rd to 26th. Thursday November 27th is a rest day, semi finals will be boxed on November 28th- and all finals will take place on November 29th.

It is expected that the championships will be live-streamed.

Team Ireland

48kg Tiffany Spencer, Jobstown BC, Dublin
51kg Rachel Lawless, St. Brigid’s BC, Offaly.
54kg Robyn Kelly, Ballynacargy Boxing Club, Westmeath
57kg Natalia Fascizewska, Castlebar BC, Mayo
60kg Rebecca Kavanagh, Mulhuddart BC, Dublin
65kg Ava Henry, Dublin Docklands BC
80+kg Cliona D’Arcy, Tobar Pheadair BC, Galway
50kg Louis Rooney, Star ABC, Belfast
55kg Pasty Joyce, Olympic BC, Westmeath
60kg Gavin Ryan, Ratoath BC, Meath
65kg Roy Colgan, Avona BC, Dublin
75kg Tadgh O’Donnell, Four Kings BC, Wicklow
80kg James Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC
85kg Sean Trant, Monkstown BC, Dublin
90kg Garyn McAllister, North Down BC, Down
90+kg Adam Olaniyan, Jobstown BC, Dublin