ANy Ex-Uni Boxers?

hiberno

Are there any ex-university boxers on here? When and where did you fight?

walshb

Technically I would not be a University boxer, but I did fight in Trinity College for them against UCD in the colours tournament. Dan Curran the ex Senior boxer from Dublin was the coach. We also went to UCG in Galway for a tournament. Very good standard from the lads, considering they are technically novices. I heard Bernard Dunne also boxed in this Colours tournament. I doubt he was given a hard time!!!

hiberno

What year walshb? Do you remember your opponent? UCG used to be strong enough, but then for some reason boxing there seemed to die a death, UCC came on strong with some good fighters in the late 90's.

I remember Dan (esp. from his boxing days), he'd a hard job to follow there.

MaxBax

I'm a current UNI boxer with Dublin University (trinity).

I would have fought in the colours this year but it was cancelled but I got a go against Cambridge and in the British and Irish Intervarsities (out of my depth tbh, only 3 months boxing).

DU and UCd tend to win most things these days. Firstly, due to number of competitors and secondly due to good boxers and a good coach - dan curran.

IT Tallaght have a club too, that guy from the tv coaches them.
Cork and NUIG have clubs too, but my impression is they're relying on guys coming to college with previous boxing experiecne and participating with the club. I think a few club boxers look down their nose at varsity boxing.

efb

Well in fairness the levels are polls apart, except maybe an open senior intervarsity final.

Still for novice level its pretty good, a few of the guys could do with taking the showboating down a notch or two, RESPECT is a key aspect of the game.

MaxBax

What you mean they're polls apart? That ppl boxing for 2 years in clubs are way better than people boxing in uni clubs for 2 years? Or that ppl boxing for 10 years in clubs are way better than people boxing in uni clubs for 2 years?

efb

Someone boxing in a club for two years of his adult life would be at the same standard as a university boxer and vice versa it would be like comparing someone who took up rugby in college to someone who has been playing competitevely since they were 8.

I am not saying anything negative about univesity boxing merely putting it into perspective and my experiences of same. I came from a university boxing background, I am in no way belittling it.

I'd feel more confident about my chances steping in with an intervarsity champion than a provencial junior one.

MaxBax

Agreed.

hiberno

There have been a number of very successful Uni Boxers who more than held their own in club competitions, the problem always has been the insularity of Varsity boxing. Before, almost 15 years ago, it all came down to winning the British and Irish Universities, but Oxbridge boxers came well prepared, then a big split happened and Oxbridge pulled away and the BUSF's (UK) started messing things around. Before that a lot of fighters in Universities were training 1 or 2 days a week with clubs, our old coach used to take fighters to Drimnagh for sparring in the build up to competitions.

A large problem (in my own view) was that the game was not well run or respected and the old student thing of getting trolleyed after fights is not something most good class fighters in the amateur game would do.

Are Maynooth still in the game? Oh, Cork and Galway were notorious for bringing in ringers, I had a very nasty experience of that back in 1997.

walshb

It was 95, when I was 20. I actually got my jaw broke in Trinity by the guy from UCD....I cannot recall his name, may have been Thompson. It was the easiest fight of my career, but from the 3-4 shots I took, one broke my jaw. I won by decision and about an hour later it felt like I had a tootache on every god damn tooth in my head. Pain was unbearable and I ended up getting my mouth wired tight for 6 weeks, no solid food and I couldn't even stick my tongue out. One of the guys on Trinity was Tim, super heavy. I forget his second name but he had a terrific punch and was built like a tank. A real proper Heavyweight, like 100 kilos and 6ft 3. He entered the Seniors in 96 and was beat in the final. But he really could KO you with a shot. He lacked the confidence though. Dan was a great coach, worked the bejaysus out of you, like I mean 10-12 rds of pads and maybe 10 rds sparring. A lot more intense than most trainers.

efb

How could a proper heavyweight be 100kg the limit is 91?
You mean super???

FrankGrimes

I boxed for Trinity at Light Heavt for 3 years up to 2002 and loved it. Dan's a good coach alright. Highlights were a free trip to US to fight US Naval Academy (though they took the piss and seriously outmatched us - I fought a graduate of the US Marines whos 3 years fighting for them weren't deemed relevant so got beat but did alright) and sparring Jim Rock. Actually highlight of the whole lot was winning an absolute slugfest in the last bout of TCD versus Cambridge to clinch the trophy, atmosphere was pure electric.

I agree that in general club boxing is a different level to uni boxing, but there are a few lads been doing the uni boxing for years, like Richie Morrin at trinity, who are pure class.

On the drinking issue - yeh we'd get locked after a fight but in the uni game your next fight is months away so theres no problem with it. And anyone on the real TCD team wouldn't touch a drop for a full month before a fight.

Yep, Bernard Dunne did fight in the Colours and naturally creased the opposition. Bernard still shows up for some of Trinity's tournaments, as does Jim Rock.

walshb

efb wrote:

How could a proper heavyweight be 100kg the limit is 91?
You mean super???

Mate if you read my post properly you will see I said he was Super heavy. I then used the term proper Heavyweight in relation to his size, as is the pro ranks...he's a real Heavyweight so to speak. I know 91kg is the amateur heavy, but it light compared to the real big men

maninasia

I boxed with Trinity in 1996-1997 so you probably knew me. I remember Tim well, that guy was a monster. Hard to find anybody to go up against them, used to feel sorry for the heavyweights/superheavyweights as one punch could knock your head off.
I trained with Dan Curran a lot and he was an excellent coach and physical fitness trainer. I only had a couple of fights in Trinity, winning and losing 1 each. There was a great cameraderie in the club and also between all the clubs in Ireland, I remember one memorable colours were we hammering each other and after the competition UCD threw us a big party and we ended up collapsed in their dorm rooms. I've never seen that done in other sports or other clubs of which I was a member. It was also a very open-minded club and Dan himself enthusiastically promoted females getting involved and was the first club to advocate female boxers in competition (as far as I know). I was literally knocked out the first time I sparred in the ring by my friend, but that was my own fault for riling him up
My claim to fame, as far as I know, is to be the first boxer to represent Dublin City University (did post-grad there) and I ended up in the intervarsities against my old team-mates...since I didn't have a corner-man Bernard Dunne's father had to stand in.... lost the fight on points but no surprise since I didn't even have a coach and the guy I was fighting was a club fighter for 10 years, held my own in some regard at least!
I agree that the skill level gap is quite big between club and universities yet there were some handy fighters and considering most of us were complete novices going in it we weren't half bad. I have also learned karate and MMA but always found boxing to be the best sport in sheer enjoyability and also for fitness. As an interesting aside, Trinity Boxing Club is one of the oldest in the world and dates back to the time when boxing was a gentlemans sport aswell as a working mans sport.