THE smile told you everything as Dominic Bradley stepped back up into the ring for the final time at Girdwood Community Hub last Thursday. Across the previous three nights, he had left it all between those ropes in an attempt to right some wrongs of the past, and forge a new chapter in a career that is taking flight.
And there, gloves long since discarded, brow mopped and tears of joy dried, the Swatragh man could enjoy the moment. Deservedly named best boxer at the Ulster Elite Championships, this was what he had waited for.
Not to get that award necessarily, but to taste success at elite level. To prove he has what it takes to anybody who doubted him - because bouncing back, and the ability to harness that pain for good rather than sulking in the shadows, helped bring him here.
Bradley has lost out in Ulster and Irish final defeats before, earlier rounds too, with his most recent disappointment coming in an all-Ulster Irish Elite decider clash with Star’s JP Hale back in October.
Now, with injury keeping Hale out of the Ulsters, Bradley believes he is in pole position to take the lightweight spot at next summer’s Commonwealth Games.
“I’m the man,” said Bradley, who took home the Nat Joseph memorial belt, “as Ulster elite champion, I’m number for the Commonwealth Games. That’s the way it is in my mind anyway.”
How the team shapes up by the time Birmingham rolls around is a conversation for another day, with Ulster High Performance coach John Conlan facing some tough calls in the weeks and months ahead.
Instead, as Bradley sat ringside minutes after the final bell had sounded at the end of a dramatic night, his grin still lit up the hall. Earlier the Emerald ace had produced a barnstorming third round to get the better of Holy Family’s Rory Lavery, having already come through tough fights with Cookstown’s Teo Alin and Erne’s Rhys Owens.
There were plenty of contenders, but nobody was more deserving of the best boxer award.
“Ah, I’m over the moon, I really am.
“To get over the line means a lot – to pick up the best boxer award is the cherry on top, but the only thing that mattered was winning.
“I had to bury it [the Irish final defeat to Hale], but I’ve been disappointed before. As JP [Delaney] always tells me, in elite sport, the winner’s the loser who tried again. That’s been my mindset all along.
“Even what happened earlier in the week was gone, history. Nothing else mattered going into the final. Those earlier wins meant nothing if I hadn’t got over the line. I know that better than anybody because I’ve had my disappointments over the years.
“Going into that third round [against Lavery], Harry [Hawkins] and JP [Delaney] were chatting to me - they must have already talked to me before I sat down - and they said ‘you’re in the middle of a battle here – who’s going to be able to find that bit of calm in the thick of it all, you or him?’
“After that a sense of calm just came over me, and I was able to find that wee half step, that little bit more time, in the last round and it made all the difference.”
Another man walked off with an award, in his case for most improved young boxer, was Jack McGivern.
The St George’s southpaw fell short against Daryl Clarke in last year’s Ulster final, but came through the challenges of Jon McConnell, Robbie Gould and Anthony Malanaphy – as well as a chest infection - to claim the 63.5kg title.
“He’s been dying the past few weeks,” said coach Danny Boyd, “a few times we wanted to pull him out but he wouldn’t hear of it.”
“The show must go on,” smiled McGivern.
“I knew after last year I wasn’t going to make that mistake again. Whoever was across the ring tonight could’ve had a sledgehammer, I still wasn’t going to get beat.
“Fighting three times in three days, it’s preparation for the Commonwealth Games. There’s a camp in America in January, so the work doesn’t stop here. It’ll be a couple of days off the straight back in the gym.
“I was over at the Commonwealths with [older brother] James in 2018, got into the village and all, and I remember looking around thinking ‘I’d love this to be me in four years’. Hopefully that puts me in the driving seat now.”
****************************
BOXER STEPHEN IN PRAYERS OF BOXING COMMUNITY AFTER FALLING ILL
THE thoughts and prayers of the Irish boxing community remain with Belfast heavyweight Stephen McMullan, after he fell seriously ill at the weekend.
McMullan - who coaches and boxes out of Newington ABC - was involved in an all-action Ulster Elite Championship heavyweight final at Girdwood Community Hub on Thursday night, losing out to Monkstown’s Charlie Boyle.
Unfortunately the 25-year-old fell ill on Friday and was admitted to intensive care at Belfast’s Royal Hospital, with the boxing community quickly sending all their best wishes for a full recovery.
A statement on the Ulster Boxing Council Facebook page read: “All at Ulster boxing keep Stephen and his family in our thoughts at this terrible time and we hope and ptray Stephen makes a full recovery.
“Come on champ, you’ve got this.”
West Belfast club Gleann was one of many to send their best wishes, posting: “Thoughts, hopes and prayers are with Stephen McMullan, who is facing the biggest fight ever. Stephen was part of our squad in America and is well known and respected by all at Gleann.
“We all pray that Stephen can win this fight and make a full recovery. God bless big man, you can do this.”
****************************
MAC ON TRACK AFTER IRISH TITLE SUCCESSES
THE future looks bright for Immaculata after the west Belfast club finished up with six new champions at the Irish Boy and Girl 1 & 2 Championships,
The Mac saw Nicole Meli and Caitlin Fryers both claim titles at the Ulster Elite Championships last Thursday night, before making it a weekend to remember at Dublin’s Drimnagh Boxing Club.
Thomas McFarlane and Carly Voyle took the 29kg Boy 2 and 31kg Girl 1crowns via walkover before Jude Reilly came up trumps in the Boy 1 decider at 29kg, stopping Cove’s David Quigley in the second round.
At 33kg Boy 1 Lee Largey Snodden took a 4-1 split over Kristian Jubani, while Kai Daynes proved too strong for Daithi Kelly, stopping the Frenchpark fighter in the third round of their 44.5 kilo final.
Francis Regan completed a memorable championships for the resurgent Mac when he edged Galway’s Bernie McDonagh on a 3-2 split at 46kg.
“That’s 10 Antrim titles, 15 Ulsters and seven Irish over the last couple of months,” said Martin Lindsay, who coaches at the club alongside Frankie Slane, Gerry ‘Nugget’ Nugent and Alfredo Meli sr.
“Nicole Meli coming back from seven years out to win the Ulster Elites was brilliant, and then Caitlin Fryers being the first female from the club to win an Irish Elite title a few months back.
“The future looks good.”
There were plenty of other Ulster winners too, with Conal Dunlop of St Paul’s (31kg), Banbridge’s Callum McAlinden (38.5kg), Saints’s Owen McCann (40kg), Gleann’s James Rooney (48kg), Glengormley’s Padraig Scott (50kg) and Holy Trinity’s Anthony Crickard (59kg) all taking Boy 1 crowns, while Clonard’s Robert Quinn (31kg), Castle’s Harvey Cochrane (40kg), Jay Fee of Two Castles (41.5kg), Cookstown’s Conor Whitehouse (50kg), Phoenix’s Arthur Doherty (52kg), Banbridge’s Finlay Niblock (62kg) all landed Boy 2 titles.
