FRANCY THAT
+++ ATMOSPHERE THE old showbiz adage that “The Show Must Go On” became something of a new name for the Rise Again card at Dublin’s National Basketball Arena on Saturday night.
Six contests, including two separate headline bouts, fell off the card during fight week as injuries, paperwork and connecting flights conspired to wreak havoc to the bill.
However, after some jiggling of opponents, 11 fights played out in Tallaght as the new season of boxing thankfully kicked off in the capital. Coalisland super-feather Feargal
Mccrory geared up for his mandated Irish title clash against Stephen Mcafee with a six-round points win over Nicaraguan Brayan Mairena.
Southpaw Mccrory hurt Mairena numerous times with the straight left as he shook off the ring rust against a game opponent who, to his credit, finished strong, with returning referee David Irving scoring the contest 59-55 in “Fearless” Feargal’s favour.
Afterwards Mcafee entered the ring and the pair engaged in a frosty face-off ahead of a mooted title clash in Dublin next month.
Returning from his British title defeat to upcoming European title challenger Lewis Ritson, Lagmore lightweight Paul Hyland Jnr defeated Mexican Giovanny Martinez over six. Alternating between controlling the contest with a piston jab and entertaining the crowd, Hyland dropped the spirited visitor heavily in the second with a left hook and eventually ran out a 60-53 winner on Mr Irving’s card.
With a comeback workout completed, Hyland will look for a quick return to domestic title fights in a wide-open division.
Making his debut, and diving straight into a competitive match-up with another prospect, Blanchardstown welterweight Francy Luzoho stopped Bournemouth’s Sam Jones in a showstealer of a fight.
Standing out from the start, the Congo-born puncher was led into the ring by Rablo Luccii – who had the distinction of being the first ring walk rapper that was not absolutely awful. After the most extravagant of small hall entrances, Luzoho went to work with right hands that staggered Jones in the first and the second before, with the visitor out on his feet, Mr Irving stepped in after 2-15 of the third.
Stillorgan middleweight Cillian Reardon was massively outweighed by Pole Michal Ciach but boxed smart and remains unbeaten. After moving well early on, Reardon showed good grit in the final round to seal a 40-37 win on referee Pádraig Ó Reachtagáin’s card.
Conversely, promising Kilmacthomas welter Dylan Moran had a huge size advantage over Damian Lawniczak
and duly dropped the Polish veteran four times before Mr Ó Reachtagáin stepped in after 2-56 of the opening round.
Buzzsaw Lucan welterweight John Joyce broke down Henrich Herak to the body. The exhausted Slovak fell to the canvas in the fifth and, beating Mr Irving’s count, he was promptly stopped on his feet after 1-35 of the stanza.
Shercock super-welter Owen Duffy
had it all his own way against Miro Dicky. The experienced Slovakian offered little in the way of punches as Duffy was provided with 12 minutes of target practice before being declared a 40-36 winner by Mr Ó Reachtagáin.
Craig Mccarthy was coasting against Pole Lukasz Rafalko, who was docked a point in the third for excessive holding. Then, in incredible circumstances, the Waterford super-middle upped the aggression in the fourth round and walked straight onto a huge counter right that looked to have vaporised him - only for Mccarthy to bounce straight back up and see out a 38-36 win on Mr Ó Reachtagáin’s card.
Debuting Bray middleweight Eddie Treacy needed just 29 seconds, including a 10-count, to dispose of Catalonian
Ignasi Caballero. Swinging for the hills from the opening bell, Treacy quickly floored Caballero, who could not beat Mr Ó Reachtagáin’s count.
After a strong amateur career gave way to a Master’s degree in accountancy, Crumlin super-welterweight Martin Wall returned to the ring as a pro and started off with a thrilling brawl versus Hungarian
Zoltan Lepsenyi. Trading huge shots with the Magyar in the second round, Wall wrestled his way on top and forced Mr Irving to step in after 2-12.
Opening the show, debuting Swords heavyweight Paddy Nevin outpointed Pole Pawel Strykowski, showing good punch output and taking a 40-36 win on Mr Ó Reachtagáin’s card.
THE VERDICT Mccrory and Hyland gear up for title fights but Francy Luzoho steals the show.