Tallaght fighter gets in the ring

THIS year has been notable in Irish boxing for the number of fighters turning pro but, of all the 30 plus fighters making the leap, Dylan McDonagh probably has the most varied background.

The 32-year-old bantamweight whirlwind is a relative latecomer to boxing, but he has plenty of experience in fighting ahead of his pro debut this weekend.

 Between Thai Boxing, amateur boxing, Mixed Martial Arts [MMA], and Semi-Pro Boxing, the Tallaght fighter has been trading blows for many a year, but will box professionally for the first time in Dublin on Saturday, September 9.

McDonagh is set to feature on the 'Celtic Clash 3' card at the National Stadium on the South Circular Road, and it has been a long time coming.

Initially due to make his pro bow back in April, McDonagh was unfortunate to see this card get cancelled on the week of the fight.

Subsequently he would sign for Leonard Gunning's Boxing Ireland Promotions and will now debut in a show that is headlined by a BUI Celtic title fight between Welsh champion Dai Davies and former Irish amateur star and RTÉ pundit, Eric Donovan.

It's been a long road for chirpy Dub McDonagh. Outlining his long fighting history, he related how he first started Thai Boxing out of the Bridgestone club in Stonybatter.

“I fought for them for a good couple of years,” he recalled. “Thai Boxing is where I got my style. It gives you an aggressive style. But, with Thai Boxing, you don’t get all the angles, it’s all come forward, straight-on all the time.

“I went into boxing with Westside BC and won the Dublin, Leinster, and All-Irelands Novices then I kind of dropped out for about two years,” he added.

“I came back and just got the hunger for it again. I went to SBG (John Kavanagh’s MMA gym, and the base of two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor) and was training down there as well.

“I was kind of split between the two of them – but I wasn’t giving enough time to SBG because I think my style suited me going back to boxing.

“I went on to the Intermediates, lost in the quarter finals (to fellow Tallaght boxer Carl McDonald – who also features on September 9) and then fought there in November on a semi pro show.

“The semi-pro fight was four two-minute rounds, which was too short.

“I said after the third round that I could’ve gone for six rounds, I had barely broken a sweat.”

Also on the card is John Joyce, who boxed with both Lucan BC and Esker ABC.

The Irish Army soldier, who only started boxing five years ago, fought at Intermediate level as an amateur.

“I had a few setbacks over the years and a few injuries,” he revealed. “Last year I decided to turn pro and I teamed up with Tony Davitt.

“I wouldn’t be too well known in the amateur game but, to be honest, I don’t care about that because I’m willing to do everything I can to really make a name for myself over my next few fights." 

Headlined by the Donovan-Davies title fight, the Celtic Clash 3 card also features Stephen McAfee, Martin Quinn, Regan Buckley, Carl McDonald, Chris Mullally, Michael Gallagher, Niall O’Connor, James Cahill, Gerard Whitehouse, Bernard Roe, John Joyce, and Colin O'Donovan.

Tickets cost €30 (balcony), €40 (gallery) snd €60 (ringside) Tel 0857721209 or go to Ticketmaster.ie.