Team USA Boxing defeated Team Ireland, 8-4, on Monday night, on the first stop of the three-city 2018 USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour, at Club Royale Entertainment Center in Boston’s historic theater district.
Two of the best amateur boxing squads in the country, featuring numerous 2020 Olympic hopefuls, had a major showdown to the delight of the mixed crowed of supporters of both programs.
“It was a fantastic night of boxing,” said Team USA head coach Billy Walsh, who used to guide Team Ireland’s boxing program. “The real winners were the boxing fans, American and Irish, supporting these two young teams. I was really happy with our performance as well as theirs.”
The USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour continues this Thursday (Mar. 15 at) the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., and concludes Wednesday, Mar. 21 at The Manchester Downtown Hotel in New Hampshire.
All the duals will begin at 7:00 p.m. EST and tickets will be made available for purchase in the coming weeks. Each city will showcase up to 12 bouts, which will all be live streamed, free of charge, on USA Boxing’s website (www.usaboxing.org).
Honorary captains “Irish” Micky Ward and Kevin “The Clones Colossus” McBride, respectively, led Team USA and Team Ireland into the ring.
A USA Alumni Association gathering was held prior to the show.
In the final bout of the night, American super heavyweight Richard Torrez, the 2016 Youth World Championship bronze medalist and 2017 USA Boxing Elite National champion, closed the show in style against four-time Irish National Champion Dean Gardiner, 3-0.
Bombs away was the theme in the heavyweight match as Irishman Kiril Afganasev powered his way past Adrian Tillman, 2-1.
Lanky American light heavyweight Khalil Coe decisioned six-time Irish National champion Caoimhin Hynes.
Three-time European champion Michael Nevin edged 2016 Youth World Championship team member Nikita Ababiy, 2-1, in a back-and-forth middleweight contest.
One of America’s brightest prospects, 2017 Elite World Championship bronze medalist Troy Isley, showed everything in his arsenal against eight-time Irish National champion Brett McGinty, emerging with an impressive unanimous decision in a toe-to-toe middleweight clash.
Eight-time Irish National champion Kierion Molloy won a split decision over Americanwelterweight Quinton Randall, a 2017 Elite World Championship team member.
In a special match-up between two Internationally decorated light welterweights,2016 Youth World Champion and 2017 Elite Continental Championships silver medalist, Delante “Tiger” Johnson, took a split decision from eight-time Irish National champion Wayne Kelly.
Keyshawn Davis pounded Irish light welterweight George Bates en route to a dominating unanimous decision victory, in which the American showcased his numerous skills.
American lightweight Marc Castro, who moved up one weight class, turned in an auspicious “Elite” class debut, defeating Francis Cleary by way of a unanimous decision. The highly-regarded Castro was a two-time World champion as a junior and youth boxer.
Aggressive American welterweight Oshae Jones won a hard-fought split decision versus Grainne Bates in an action-packed match from start to finish. Jones was a 2017 Elite Women’s Continental Championships silver medalist.
World Championships silver medalist lightweight Kellie Harrington won a unanimous decision over American lightweight Stacia Suttles in a very competitive match.
Four-time 2017 international gold medalist Virginia Fuchs opened the night with a victory over Irish flyweight Lauren Hogan, when the referee stopped the contest in the second round.
Complete individual & team results:
BOSTON RESULTS
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS
Richard Torrez, Tulare, California, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Dean Gardiner, Tipperary, Ireland
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Kiril Afanasev, Dublin, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Adrian Tillman, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Khalil Coe, Jersey, City, New Jersey, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Caoimhin Hynes, Belfast, Ireland
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Michael Nevin, Laois, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Nikita Ababiy, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Troy Isley, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Brett McGinty, Derry, Ireland
WELTERWEIGHTS
Kieron Molloy, Galway, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Quinton Randall, Katy, Texas, USA
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS
Tiger Johnson, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
WDEC (2-1)
Wayne Kelly, Laois, Ireland
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Keshawn Davis, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
WDEC (3-0)
George Bates, Dublin, Ireland
Marc Castro, Fresno, California, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Francs Cleary, Mayo, Ireland
WOMEN WELTERWEIGHTS
Oshae Jones, Toledo, Ohio, USA
WDEC (2-1)
Grainne Bates, Dublin, Ireland
WOMEN LIGHTWEIGHTS
Kellie Harrington, Dublin, Ireland
WDEC (3-0)
Stacia Suttles, Bronx, New York, USA
WOMEN FLYWEIGHTS
Ginny Fuchs, Kemah, Texas, USA
RSC2 (1:57)
Lauren Hogan, Offaly, Ireland
USA: 8 IRELAND: 4
