Two Irish titles for Black Dragon fighters

Several members of the Galway Black Dragon Kickboxing club travelled to Waterford on Saturday night for the first major kickboxing event of the year.

The Galway club had no less than six fighters on a 14-fight card, and three of them fought for IKF All Ireland titles, claiming two of the three national titles.

2015 World Bronze medalist Catherine Jennings from Riverside in Galway City won a unanimous decision over Carlow’s Chloe Dooley over the scheduled five rounds to scoop the vacant Junior Featherweight Kickboxing Title.

2015 World Gold Medalist James Kelly moved up a weight division and won a five round war with Muay Thai fighter Erik Hehir from Clonmel to win the vacant Junior Super Lightweight K-1 crown.

James dropped the Tipperary fighter for counts of eight with a left body kick in round two and a knee to the solar plexus in round four enroute to a unanimous win.

Wesley Ward from Rahoon and Tom Scarry from Moylough lost close decisions in their contests; but Jennifer Baranyai from Annaghdown defeated Limerick’s Gillian O’Connor over three rounds, forcing an eight count in the second.

Damien Creavin from Briarhill originally went as a spectator but agreed to step in with Connor Broderick from Thurles after Broderick’s scheduled opponent pulled out, and Creavin won a unanimous decision over the three rounds, dropping the Thurles fighter with a spinning back fist in the third to force an eight count which sealed the deal.

The next big event for the club is in the Clayton Hotel in Galway City when current European Champion Paul ‘The Hurricane’ Huish will take on Dutch Thai Boxer Dwane Panka from the World renowned Mejiro Gym in Amsterdam for the World Lightweight K-1 Title.

This night will celebrate the 20th year anniversary of the sport of kickboxing in Galway City, and will be held on Saturday March 19, with the first of 20 fights on the card getting underway at 7pm.