Proud Southside club applauds former member McGregor

THE Southside club where super fighter Conor Anthony McGregor learned the ropes have said they are very proud of him.

Speaking after the Dubliner demolished Dennis Siver at the UFC Fight Night spectacular in Boston, the coach at Crumlin Boxing Club that McGregor once attended said they were delighted with his achievements.

“Ah, it’s just brilliant, he’s just brilliant

? said coach Philip Sutcliffe, who had previously trained McGregor.

“We’re all very proud of him here and we hope he goes on to win more fights and lots and lots of money,

? Mr Sutcliffe said.

“We’d love to see him come back to say hello to the kids,

? he added.

“They’d love that.

?

The mixed martial artist who is currently competing in the UFC’s Featherweight division, is now scheduled to take on Champion José Aldo.

A bout with Aldo has been targeted for May 23 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

McGregor is a former CWFC Featherweight Champion and Lightweight Champion, which made him the first professional Irish fighter to hold titles in two separate divisions.

McGregor had competed in football when he began training at the Crumlin Boxing Club. According to a profile of the club, its origins date back as far as the 1930s.

The club went through many changes since its doors opened and it developed a strong tradition of boxing as it produced champions since the early 1940s.

“In the 1980s tragedy struck and the club was raised to the ground, which gave birth to the new premises that Crumlin Boxing Club still resides in today,

? the profile reveals.

“Since its reopening in the 1980s the club went through some major changes but

the club was pretty much left derelict until taken over by Phil Sutcliffe (head coach), Paddy Wheelan (Crumlin’s first President) and Gary Griffin in 1992.

“The boxing club needed to be rebuilt and from its foundations came what is today one of the best boxing clubs in Ireland, which is a compliment to one of Ireland’s finest trainers and fighter himself, Phil Sutcliffe.

“Crumlin Boxing Club was rebuilt and if you understand its traditions, you will find that it is deep routed within its working class community that surrounds it and this tradition is very much kept alive by the people that run it today.

“Maybe this is the reason that Crumlin Boxing Club can boast of so many champions.

“All we know is that if you mention Crumlin Boxing Club to anyone in Irish boxing circles they’ll know our name and know if you fight one of our fighters you’re going to have a fight on your hands.

?