Sport

James McGivern set to make debut at new weight class after moving up ahead of 2020 Olympics bid

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist James McGivern will make his 64kg bow in Belarus this week. Picture by PA
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist James McGivern will make his 64kg bow in Belarus this week. Picture by PA Commonwealth Games bronze medallist James McGivern will make his 64kg bow in Belarus this week. Picture by PA

JAMES McGivern will make a first appearance at his new weight class in Belarus this week, as preparations step up towards the Ulster and Irish Elites at the start of next year.

The St George’s ace is part of an Irish team that headed out to the Levintsev Memorial tournament in Minsk yesterday, with the action set to get under way today.

He will compete at 64 kilo ahead of an anticipated AIBA shake-up in weight classes for the 2020 Olympics.

McGivern won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal earlier this year and was seen as a strong contender for Tokyo at 60kg.

Lightweight is his natural weight class having moved up from 56 as he transitioned into senior boxing following a stellar career coming through the age grades.

However, to make way for two new weight classes in women’s boxing, 49kg and 60kg are expected to be removed from the male competition.

Last year it emerged that featherweight (57kg) and welterweight (69kg) would be added to women’s boxing for the 2020 Games, joining flyweight (51kg), lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg).

The knock-on effect means the male boxing weight classes are likely to be 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg, 81kg, 91kg and +91kg.

As a result, McGivern – too big to go back down to 57 – will have to move up to 63kg for the Irish Elites in February as the road to the next Olympics in two years gets under way.

McGivern will get a taste of life at his new weight when he steps between the ropes at light-welter in Belarus, with the aim to build himself into 63 kilos.

Also travelling to Minsk are fellow Ulster fighters Eugene McKeever and Brett McGinty.

Mullaghbawn native McKeever, who boxes out of the Holy Family club in Drogheda, was part of an Irish team that headed to America for a three-fight tour earlier this year, having pushed the highly-rated Kieran Molloy all the way in the Irish welterweight final.

McGinty was also part of that tour and, as one of the top middleweights in the country, will have his sights set on landing the Irish crown next year.

The all-action Oak Leaf fighter suffered a controversial defeat to Michael Nevin in the 75kg decider early this year, having put the Portlaoise skillster on the canvas in the second round and looked to have done enough to get the nod.

A 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games team-mate of McGivern’s, McGinty will be keen to catch the eye of the Irish coaches out in Minsk.

McGivern, McKeever and McGinty are joined by flyweight Regan Buckley – who fought twice as a pro before reversing his decision and returning to the amateurs earlier this year – Jordan Moore at bantamweight, Limerick heavyweight Kevin Sheehy and super-heavy Martin Keenan.

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Holy Trinity’s James Kelly on his way to winning the Boy 2 31kg final at the Ulster nine counties novice championship finals in Corpus Christi ABC at the weekend. Picture by Mark Marlow
Holy Trinity’s James Kelly on his way to winning the Boy 2 31kg final at the Ulster nine counties novice championship finals in Corpus Christi ABC at the weekend. Picture by Mark Marlow Holy Trinity’s James Kelly on his way to winning the Boy 2 31kg final at the Ulster nine counties novice championship finals in Corpus Christi ABC at the weekend. Picture by Mark Marlow

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IRISH STARS HOPE TO FOLLOW IN BURNETT'S FOOTSTEPS AT YOUTH OLYMPICS

THREE rising stars of Irish boxing will bid to follow in the footsteps of Belfast’s Ryan Burnett at the Youth Olympics in Argentina, which get under way this weekend.

Flyweight Dean Clancy (Ballinacarrow) - who was sparring Clonard’s Conor Quinn ahead of the Games - featherweight Dearbhla Rooney (Sean McDermott’s, Leitrim) and middleweight Lauren Kelly (St Brigid’s, Edenderry) fly out to Buenos Aires today, along with coach Dmitry Dimitruk.

The boxing competition starts on Sunday and runs until Thursday, October 18.

Burnett, the reigning WBA world bantamweight champion, remains the only Irish boxer to have topped the podium at the Youth Olympics, having taken home gold from Singapore in 2010.

At the 2014 Games, Geesala’s Ciara Ginty won silver while Donegal heavyweight Michael Gallagher took bronze.

John McConnell (centre), pictured with Holy Trinity coach Michael Hawkins and Liam Cunningham (Saints) after his Irish Cadet championship success
John McConnell (centre), pictured with Holy Trinity coach Michael Hawkins and Liam Cunningham (Saints) after his Irish Cadet championship success John McConnell (centre), pictured with Holy Trinity coach Michael Hawkins and Liam Cunningham (Saints) after his Irish Cadet championship success

GALLEN AND McCONNELL AIM TO BECOME EURO STARS

ULSTER has two representatives on the Irish team that competes at the European Junior Championships in Russia this week.

Alongside coaches Billy McClean (High Performance), Liam Cunningham (Saints) – a 1998 Commonwealth Games silver medallist – Eve Carr (Enniskerry), James Doyle (Monkstown, Dublin), Brian Barry (Riverstown) and Martin Donovan (Our Lady of Lourdes), a 26-strong team left for Anapa on Sunday.

Included are Raphoe’s Leah Gallen, boxing at 66kg, and Holy Trinity flyweight John McConnell. Gallen stopped Sophia Hopkova (Ballyhaunis) in the third round of their Irish Cadet Championship final back in August.

It will be the first time either Gallen or McConnell will have represented Ireland in an international competition, although McConnell impressed in victory over England a fortnight ago.

He edged past Derry’s Eoghan Quinn in their all-Ulster semi-final in the Irish Cadets, before defeating James McDonagh of St Paul’s, Waterford in the 52kg decider.

And coach Michael Hawkins believes the 17-year-old is ready to show what he can do against the best Europe has to offer.

“It’s a big step when you move on to a stage like this, but John’s ready for it,” said Hawkins.

“He’s very steady, he works very hard - John lives and breathes boxing. That’s his complete focus, from early morning runs and evening training, he’s very dedicated and enthusiastic.

“He’s been with us about a year or so and hopefully he just keeps progressed. This kind of experience will stand to him.”

Boxing is set to get under way in Anapa today, with the competition running until Wednesday, October 17.

Irish squad

Male

46kg: M Donohue (St Michael’s, Athy); 48kg: M Maughan (Olympic); 50kg: S O’Brien (Raging Bull); 52kg: J Mc Connell (Holy Trinity); 54kg: P Sweeney (Olympic); 57kg: B O’Connor (Sliabh Luachra); 60kg: S Cairns (Legacy); 63kg: T Quiney (Drimnagh); 66kg: W Hayden (Crumlin); 70kg: E Lavin (Ballyhaunis); 75kg: J Myers (Olympic, captain); 80kg: P Myers (Sligo City); 80+kg: B Ndefi (Olympic, Mullingar)

Female

46kg: B Quilligan (Rathkeale); 48kg: C Gabriel (Mulhuddart); 50kg: R Lawless (Portlaoise); 52kg: N Fay (Swords); 54kg: EM Gartland (Clonmel); 57kg: L Dempsey (Ryston); 60kg: S Glynn (Cloghan); 63kg: L Murphy (Togher, captain); 66kg: L Gallen (Raphoe); 70kg: L O’Rourke (Castlerea); 75kg: K Doyle (St Brigid’s, Kildare); 80kg: B Doocey (Castlebar); 80+kg: K Goad (Cahen Vale)

Team managers: A Moore (St Francis’s), J Hennigan (Connacht Council)

R & J: M Gill (Ballymore/Hollywood)