Monkstown Box Cup - New Venue Proves a real Hit

Monkstown Boxing Club hosted its 5th Annual Boxing Event “Monkstown International Box Cup 2017” in DLR Loughlinstown Leisure Centre from Thursday 29th June to Sunday 2nd July 2017. The registration went very well as expected with over 700 boxers from 163 different clubs from 11 different Countries. The make up of the Countries can be seen below. The standard of the boxing was phenomenal, with many oversees clubs calling it the mini world championships. Many of these Boys & Girls will go onto represent their individual countries in upcoming major international boxing events.
 
 
Country/Clubs
Ireland x 97
England x 48
USA x 4
Wales x 4
Scotland x 3
Mongolia x 1
Denmark x 2
Belgium x 1
Norway x 1
Sweden x 1
Hungary x 1
Total 163

 
The organising committee decided to move from its previous venue in Sallynoggin to a bigger venue where they could fit five boxing rings in DLR Leisure Centre, Loughlinstown – this proved to be a huge hit, with plenty of space for the 5 rings, warm up areas, comfortable seating, athlete’s village and café.
 
The Box Cup Committee estimate we had over 2000 spectators per day visit the boxing event. We were delighted to see many of our local politicians & recently announced An Cathaoirleach Tom Murphy attend. Also in attendance on Finals day to hand out Champions Medals & Awards was Pat Ryan (President of the IABA).
 
Among the teams were 3 Female Champions from the highly acclaimed & very successful Mongolian Boxing Federation. All 3 female boxers won their Semi Finals bouts on Saturday & final bouts on Sunday, and were declared Champions. Also among the teams were 4 boxing teams from America – they had travelled from California, Oklahoma, Las Vegas & Texas – all their boxers were ranked No1 in the USA for their age & weigh class.  

The American Clubs & Mongolian delegation arrived in Ireland on Monday 26th June and trained/sparred with Monkstown BC locals at the Monkstown Boxing Club in Mounttown Community Facility, Fitzgerald Park in preparation for the Box Cup.
 
It was amazing to see Dun Laoghaire & surrounding areas packed out with all these boys & girls in their Boxing Club Tracksuits. Every Hotel/B&B/Guesthouse were booked out for the weekend, all the local restaurants/bars had an real upsurge in customers from the boxing event.


A special mention must go to Scottish boxer Lee Welsh (Jones BC, Sterling, Scotland) who only last year was cleared of cancer and allowed back in the ring to compete. He had 3 very good bouts over the weekend and won all 3 to become Monkstown Box Cup Champion.

 
The organising committee (all local volunteers) who worked tiresly preparing & planning the event want to sincerely thank everyone who helped out at the event and in particular:
Monkstown BC army of Volunteers
The Referee & Judge Supervisors/Officials
The staff at DLR Loughstown Leisure Centre
Our sponsors & supporters: Globalmedics.com, DLRCC (Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council), IABA (Irish Athletic Boxing Assoc.), DLR Leisure Services, The Lough Inn, Ballybrack Waste, St. Josephs Boys BC, and Ergo Boxing.
 

Awards were handed out at the end of finals day on Sunday for the following:
Best Boxer Award: Demler Zamora (Pound 4 Pound BC, Las Vegas, USA)
Best Female Boxer: Khongorzul Delgerkhangai (Mongolian Boxing Federation)
Best Junior Boxer: Haaver Ali Tazeem (Prospect ABC, Derby, England)
Best R&J: Cameron Khan (Five Star ABC, London, England)
Best Club: Sharpstyle ABC, Blackpool, England