Galway club claims three national kickboxing titles

Date Published: 27-Sep-2012

The Galway Black Dragon Club claimed three national titles in the Black Box on Saturday night at the First Of Fury Kickboxing & K1 promotion, which saw 11 bouts in total take place.

The Galway club claimed the IKF Ladies All-Ireland Light Welterweight Crown, the men’s the IKF All-Ireland Welterweight title, and the IKF All-Ireland Light Heavyweight title, but there was disappointment in the main event, an International K-1 Superfight, which saw Galway’s Bryan Merrigan stopped in the first round by his French opponent.

Michael Gerard caught Merrigan with a vicious right hook to the jaw in round one and the referee called the fight off, and after the fight, the IKF Ireland recommended a 45-day suspension for Merrigan until November 4.

However, as well as the three titles heading West, the Galway Black Dragon Club could also lay some claim to a fourth title, as former club member Amy Wilson, who now fights out of the Black Dragon’s sister club in Donegal, claimed the IKF Ladies All-Ireland AM FCR Light Welterweight title with a 2-1 judges’ decision over Gillian Duffy from Dublin.

Shane Creaven from the Galway Black Dragon Club took on Keith Shelly, also of Global Kickboxing Gym. It was their second time to meet and Creaven made it two wins from two after a hard fought battle over five rounds to lift the vacant IKF All Ireland Light Heavyweight Title.

Paul Huish took on reigning IKF All Ireland Welterweight Champion, Evan Walker from Dublin, and Huish gave a master class of text-book kickboxing to claim the title. Although Walker boxed really well, Huish landed kick after kick to his lead leg as well as several high kicks to the head.

The fight went the championship distance, with Huish taking a unanimous decision.

Charlie Ward took on Dublin’s Eric Nolan for the recently vacated IKF All Ireland Super Welterweight crown, and he claimed the title by knockout with a devastating right hook.

This was always going to be a cracker of a fight as both young men have been very busy on the International circuit lately with having Nolan been over and back to the UK for some big fights and Ward having won a silver medal at the IKF World Championships in Florida in July.

Right from the bell to sound the opening round, both fighters went at it hammer and tongs and it was action all the way until round four when Ward landed a mighty uppercut which had the Nolan out on his feet, but then he landed a picture perfect right hook to seal the deal by knockout.

In non-title fights, David Rusinak from Tullamore defeated Galway’s Jonathan Curran on points; and David Kapinga made it a Tullamore double when defeating Galway’s Gerry King on points. IN a women’s double, Galway’s Leona Trautt defeated Cork’s Orla O’Brien on points and Galway’s Natalie Molloy defeated Ciara Leavy of Tullamore on points.

Galway’s James Ward defeated Connor Broderick from Thurles by TKO; while in the other fight on the night, Galway’s Stephen Murphy drew with Limerick’s Paddy McDonagh.