Mayo boxers win world medals in Montenegro
Carlagh Peake (left) in action against Yelyanur Turganova in Sunday's light-flyweight final.
Celebrations will continue throughout this week with the homecoming of two Mayo youngsters who won silver medals at the IBA Youth World Boxing Championships.
Carlagh Peake from Ballyhaunis and Nell McLaughlin from Westport reached the finals of their respective weight categories at the championships which were held in Montenegro. And while beaten to the gold medal, adding to the significance of their achievements was that they both fought under the IBA’s neutral flag after they were not selected for the official Irish team at the event.
Homecoming events are planned for both boxers today (Tuesday) with Carlagh Peake due to be welcomed into The Square, Ballyhaunis at 4.30pm while Nell McLaughlin, who is a member of Eagles BC, will arrive to the Octagon in Westport at 6pm.
Carlagh Peake’s final was the opening bout of Sunday’s afternoon session at the IBA Youth World Boxing Championships where she came unstuck against her Kazakhstan opponent, Yelyanur Turganova, in the light-flyweight final.
Nell McLaughlin was stopped by Zi Yi Bao from China in the second round of their middleweight final.
Their silver medals come with the added bonus of a $4,000 cash prize from the IBA, with $8,000 awarded to gold medallists.
Another Mayo boxer who competed as a neutral at the IBA Youth World Boxing Championships was Padraig Corduff of St Anne’s BC in Westport but he suffered a defeat to his Bulgarian opponent in the last 16.
In other boxing news, there was a professional debut for Belmullet native Rachel Lally on Friday night last. The middleweight southpaw was in action at Dubai’s SPACE events and sports centre where she described her split decision draw against a seasoned opponent as “a win in more ways than one.” “I’ve put my heart and soul into this fight. I thought 2024 would break me, but it made me into the best version of myself. The support from all around the world means more than I can ever say,” said Lally who added it was an honour to be one of only nine professional female Irish boxers.
Also in pro action at the weekend was Eoghan Lavin. The 21-year-old from Swinford man won his third straight professional bout, stopping 36-year-old Frenchman Remi Scholer in Round 2 of their bout at the BP Pulse Live venue in Birmingham.
Lavin is trained by former world champion Anthony Crolla and managed by former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. As an amateur he achieved great success fighting out of Ballyhaunis Boxing Club.
