An Cosantóir

30 | BY COMDT NEIL TAYLOR (DFAA) PHOTOS BY CPL NOEL COSS Boxing has a proud and distinguished history in the Defence Forces, with serving personnel performing with distinction at national and international championships, and hosting a major championship in 2002 when the box- ing was held in the Curragh. There have been many DF boxers of note, including Phil Sutcliffe and Tony DeLoughrey, with the most notable of all perhaps being Michael Carruth who won a gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics. Packing a PUNCH sance and resurgence and is very much 'punching its weight' at national and international levels. Gnr Ross Hickey is the current National Elite Champion at 64kgs; Pte Ciaran O'Griofa is the National U-21 Champion at 85kgs; and Gnr Paul Farrell is the Na- tional Novice Champion at 75kgs, having defeated Cpl Ian Joyce in an all-Defence Forces final earlier this year. That strong foundation is enhanced by a large number of Defence Forces boxing is currently going through a renais- competitive boxers at elite, intermediate, novice and underage levels. In addition, the DF boxing stable has been augmented by the arrival of a number of former underage boxing stars, such as Pte Keith Boyle, and international-standard kick-boxers, including a current world champion, Pte Brian Brosnan, who is also a former junior, intermediate and U-21 national boxing champion. A progressive series of training camps, internal champion- ships, coaching courses and support-staff development has taken place in the last six months. A very successful DF Cham- pionship took place in Aiken Bks, Dundalk, in December 2011 with almost 50 boxers on show. In addition, a close, mutually beneficial relationship has been fostered with the Irish Ama- teur Boxing Association. Evidence of this positive relationship was shown when the DF hosted the national Elite boxing panel training camp in the DFTC in February. Among those taking part were Olympic medallist, Paddy Barnes; European champion, Joe Ward; world champion, Katie Taylor; and our own Ross Hickey. A competitive match took place in March 2012 against a Garda Síochána selection and Crumlin Boxing Club. The DF team won a landslide victory over the GS selection on a score of eight victories to one, with one bout drawn. A follow-on 'novice only' An Cosantóir May 2012 www.dfmagazine.ie Capt John Moody V Garda Sean O'Brien

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