Several members of the Galway Black Dragon Kickboxing club travelled to Waterford on Saturday night for the first major Kickboxing event of the year in the fabulous Tower Hotel in Waterford city.
The Galway club had no less than six fighters on a fourteen fight card and three of them fought for IKF All Ireland Titles.
2015 World Bronze medalist Catherine Jennings from Riverside won a unanimous decision over Carlow lass Chloe Dooley over the scheduled five rounds to scoop the vacant Junior Featherweight Kickboxing Title.
2015 World Gold Medalist James Kelly moved up a weight division and won a five round war with Muay Thai fighter Erik Hehir from Clonmel to win the vacant Junior Super Lightweight K-1 crown.
James dropped the Tipperary fighter for counts of eight with a left body kick in round two and a knee to the solar plexus in round four enroute to a unanimous win.
Wesley Ward from Rahoon and Tom Scarry from Moylough lost close decisions in their contests while Jennifer Baranyai from Annaghdown defeated Limericks Gillian O Connor over three rounds, forcing an eight count in the second.
Damien Creavin from Briarhill originally went as a spectator but due to a pull out by one of the Carlow camps, he agreed to step in with Connor Broderick from Thurles and won a unanimous decision over the three rounds.
He dropped the Thurles fighter with a spinning back fist in the third to force an eight count which sealed the deal.
All in all, a good nights work for the Galway Black Dragon fighters in their first outing of 2016.
Over 30 spectators travelled from Galway to support and the event was packed to the rafters.
The next big event for the club is in the Clayton Hotel in Galway when current European Champion Paul “The Hurricane” Huish will take on Dutch Thai Boxer Dwane Panka from the World renowned “Mejiro Gym” in Amsterdam for the World Lightweight K-1 Title.
This night will celebrate the 20th year anniversary of the sport of kickboxing in Galway City.
