want to take up boxing, what city centre clubs etc?

Traffic

Im 25yo and go to the gym 3/4 times a week was thinking of taking up boxing as well to keep fit etc, anyone know any good city centre boxing clubs close to smithfield that welcome newbees?

any suggestions, pointers etc wld be helpful

thanks lads

MBC

I'd imagine the closiest gym to you would be Arbour Hill. But there are others that are also with in the inner city.


CORINTHIANS BC (Buckingham Street, Summerhill) an excellant boxing GYM - Contact Paddy Osbourne 086 1008367

PHIBSBORO BC - Contact Paddy Delaney on 087 6962757

St. SAVIOURS BC (Dorset Street. Also a very successful club) - Contact Martin Power 01 8423458

DUBLIN DOCKLANDS (At the 5 Lamps, Very Successful Club) - Contact Paddy or Olive Keogh 01 8470572

ARBOUR HILL BC - Contact Ronnie Woods 01 8382210

AVONA BC (they are in the same gym as Arbour Hill but train on different nights) - Contact John Roche 01 457 1241

walshb

No offense but if you are purely joining to keep fit I'd say join a gym, not a boxing club. A boxing club is for Boxers not both boxers and people who want to stay fit. It's not fair on the guys who actually have to compete as regards the use of the gear, space and the time....again no Offense meant.

dlofnep

The thing about boxing gyms is that they will only put the time into you if you're young.. They are very competitive. Now I don't think anyone would refuse you, but you might just not get the same treatment the other boxers get.

Boxing is fun either way and a greatway to keep fit. If you can, get yourself a heavybag, speedball and a rope.. Get one of those stands out of argos for both the speedball and the heavybag and take to it this summer. It's my plan anyways. Got to lose about 8KG.

It will keep you fit just the same as a boxing gym will. The only problem will be that you won't get the sparring experience so hopefully you'll find an open gym. I'm sure you will.

walshb

Elytron wrote:

Typical boxer attitude. Traffic, go to one of those boxing gyms and see what happens. worst case scenario you'll do the warm up (cardio) and bang away at the heavy bag on your own. if boxing doesn't work out, try www.bridgestonemuaythai.com for thai boxing, i can guarantee you'lll be welcome up there. Actually website doesnt work. pm me if u want further info.

Exactly, and that's why it is quite possibly the toughest and most physically demanding sport of all. It's plain and simple not a place you go to just get fit. It's a club competing in a sport, not a leisure centre and if you had to box 3x3 minute rds 12-15 times a year you too would appreciate this.

KdjaCL

walshb wrote:

Exactly, and that's why it is quite possibly the toughest and most physically demanding sport of all. It's plain and simple not a place you go to just get fit. It's a club competing in a sport, not a leisure centre and if you had to box 3x3 minute rds 12-15 times a year you too would appreciate this.

Umm you get a walking talking moving punch bag to train with so why do you care?


kdjac

walshb

That sound good. I never thought of it like that. I will say this, if the guy who joins puts in time and effort to the benefit of the club, I would have no quarrel with that. Like if he/she helped out with the maintenace of the club, helped with the kids and became say a decent sparring partner for the competing fighters, then that's AOK. But to just use the facilities to keep fit is NOT ON!!!

walshb

I think we're getting into a whole different debate on this. There are a lot of good clubs in the Inner city like Saviours, Phoenix and Avona which are all very close to each other on the Dorset street end of Town. Then there are Darndale, Bay City, Baldoyle which are all fairly close to each other too. Try them out

MBC

bwalsh are you involved with a club? if so what club???

Cheers

walshb

I was with Darndale for ten yrs but haven't been involved there for several yrs now. Basically when I retired I retired from the gym also. That's not to say I would not be welcome back to train, because I would. I just left and haven't been in contact much. Great club and it's open 5-6 times a week. They have their own ring and all the bags, ropes, whatever you would expect to find. It really is a TOP notch club as regards the equipment and training side of things. If you are clsoe by, pop in and see how you get on. Joe Russell is the trainer, well he was when I was there and he's been involved for over 25 yrs solid. Sound bloke. Also, Gerry Hanlon is another guy who was involved as is Joe Lawlor, who represented Ireland in the Seoul games.

MBC

Yeah I know Joe Lawlor well. I was away with him in March in the states....he is really a top man and puts an aweful lot of time into the club and the Dublin County Board also. Unfortunatley I never seen him boxing but heard he was very talented, as you say Olympic Games - you don't go there unless you are very good.

At the moment Darndale would be one of the most successful clubs in Dublin - they are producing some really good lads these days. So Joe and the rest of the lads have a lot to be thanked for.

I only ever boxed 1 guy from Darndale, - so am still undeafed againist them:p

walshb

Joe was a great amateur fighter who won 3 or 4 Senior titles at Fly and Bantam. He had a great fight with McCullough in 92 to see who would go to Barcelona. Wayne was just too busy for Joe, but Joe landed some bombs that only a McCullough could have survived. I'm assuming you are in your early 20's then, seeing as you don't remember him fighting. I'm 30 and Joe would be close on 40 now. Who was the guy you beat from Darndale?

MBC

I beat Stephen Prior in Dublin Champships Semi-finals.......fight of the night we got in the stadium. It was a stand toe to toe...cracking scrap.

Unfortunatley I read in a newspaper a few years back that he died in Mountjoy - which was very sad. I still have the newspaper cliping at home somewere.

His brother Jim was a senior champ at light-fly, I think the prior's had a good few champs???

walshb

Yes I knew Stephen and Jimmy and Thomas. Three Priors were all great fighters and Jimmy won two Senior Light Fly Titles. Very sad about Stephen.
You obviously were or are pretty decent because Stephen was very good.

walshb

Whats' a Scumbag?

MBC

Yeah I wan't bad, I got my name on the senior light-fly weight trophy twice myself. Jim had just finished before I won mine though.

What about yourself walshb did you win any dublins or all-irelands???

walshb

Excellent....your name isn't Kinsella or Campbell by any chance from the Glin club I think. I actually boxed a guy from that club called Alan Linsday. Yes I won 6 leagues, 6 Dublins, two National titles (boy 3 and 4) and a National Junior Fly title in 94 and the Intermediate title in 94, also in 94.
I lost to Damaen Kelly (16-7) in the 95 Senior Fly final and then I injured my ankle and sort of drifted out.

Small world isn't it. I must say the standard has always been top notch in amateur boxing in Ireland so you were not only decent but obviously top class. Any other notable victories or names?

MBC

Yep Kinsella. Its a very small world. Like yourself I was going for the trio in year also...won the Junior, Inter & got beat in the final by Harry Cunningham (stopped Jim Moore in 1 in the semi's).

The 1st year I won the seniors I beat Paul Baker in the Final.

The 2nd year I beat Paul Baker in the semi's & Paul Hyland in the final. That same year I went to the worlds in Belfast, beat a very good Bulgarian Salim Salimov in my 1st fight, then got beat by Marian Velicu from Romania in the quarters. I was 2 points up with 30 seconds to go and blew it:mad:. He went on and got silver, he didn't box in the final due to failing the medical.
A month later he failed a drug test in the goodwill games and was banned from boxing.......when I think back now it kills me.

The 3rd year I beat Conor Ahearn in the semi's and beat by a rejuvinated Paul Baker in the final.


I have been floating in & out of fighting for the last few years, but am finding it harder & harder to keep training while working & family etc. I am also heavily involved with a new club "Monkstown" on the coaching side. I must say I'm really enjoying it, so fighting isn't my main priority anymore.

I went back this year in the seniors, had trained really hard for 8 weeks, got beat in the semi's by Conor Ahearn, it was a great scrap and a fight I didn't get credit for as the points was a bit of a joke, but thats Irish Boxing.

I trained/sparred with Campbell a lot in the Ireland set-up, a very talented lad and a top bloke. Just a pity when Glin broke up that he didn't go to Darndale instead of travelling into town.

Did you see Damian Kelly fight there recently in Belfast......what an absolute robbery!!!

WalshB did you ever think about turning pro???any offers???

walshb

Turn Pro?, no way. I'm out far too long now but wouldn't have tried it. I think there's far too many good amateurs turning pro too early, and unless you really have star appeal and are top class, you won't make it. But the offer of the cash is always so tempting. So you beat Ahern, he's real quality and is now Fly champ, three in a row. Didn't see the Kelly fight but heard he was robbed. He was a very very talented amateur, but I don't think he has the power to be a real threat in the Pro's, not like McGuigan in the 80's or even McCullough. I guess you have moved up now to Fly or Bantam, tough weights with the two current Irish champs, Joyce is excellent and Ahern who you beat (great feat) is a very strong little lad. I was talking to him a couple weeks ago, out injured with his leg or foot I think. He's tiny because as I said I boxed at Fly aged 20 and I must be 3 inches taller than him. So it shows how good he is.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for you in any future events. I haven't been in the stadium in yrs, but I still keep abreast of all the current fight scene as I'm still a huge fan, I suppose you are for life really. Let me know when or if you are going to go all out in the near future and best of luck.

KMack

Alrtight lads, I'm from up Coolock way and trained in Darndale back in the day. I mean I was even too young to fight in the leagues but loved it. Kept it up when I went to Colaiste Dhulaigh then but was always gonna be more succesful at the aul soccer. Al those names you mentioned rang a bell. Knew Jow Lalwor and WalshB do you remember Ger (can't remember his surname). Used to spar Campbell a lot withthe school boxing, he used to knock the hell outta me but I was better than most there so had to spar him. Was savage though. Conor Aherne is a good mate of mine, still go and watch him fight. Prior was another boxer (the young Prior) I used to spar we started in Darndale around the same time. Used to have good scraps with him but think i continued growing and he didn't stayed a tidy little weight. Not too sure if he's in too good health at the minute. Any idea?

Anyway about the chap looking to train in a boxing club that was something I've been trying to get back into but because of work commitments I cant dedicate the time and in a way it is not fair to boxing clubs to use their facilities just to train. I love a good spar but I reckon I would be destroyed if I got in ring ow. Still like the idea of a spar though. Any recommendations?

How about the Prior brothers versus the Hyland brothers??

walshb

Kmack, what's your name?

The Ger you mention must be Ger Ward. He'd be 32 or 33 now andd he was with the club for yrs. He left around 93 but was still active as regards participation.

KMack

It's Keith McCormick but wouldn't expect ya to know me. Still go to the stadium for most of the nights. Yeah it was Ger Ward, what a cowboy. I'm good friends with Joe Vaughan who I'm sure you know, supose thats why I kept in with the boxing crowd. Good to see the Darndale boxers do well. The Collins cousins are tidy little boxers, think it is Martin in particular but could be lacking a bit as he gets older.

You must be a couple of years older than me, where you boxing amatuer around the same time as Bernard Dunne?

walshb

Did you say you remembered me?, I'm 30 now and was boxing around the same time as Cowzer and Karl Meehan and Jimmy Prior and Stephen Senior and Robert Quigley and Thomas Prior (he fought Dunne several times).
I boxed at Fly and Bantam just before I retired in 97.

KMack

Well I'm only 23 so probably didnt know you but probably know you to see. Forgot all about the Cowzers, mad feckers the lot of them. Moved out to Rush I think. Knew Karl Meehan well enough. Good bunch of boxers have gone through the Darndale doors alright. Used to love the way we were the only group of 8 - 10 lads that could run around Darndale at night and not a dickybird was said to you by all the heads.

I did a 10 minute documentary on Conor Aherne for my final year college project. Was just around the time he was beaten by a Ukranian to get into the Olympics and then hurt his hand so couldnt fight his last chance to get in. Will hopefully make the next one.

walshb

Tell Conor I said hello, Ive spoken to him on several occasions. Sound fellow. Last time I saw him was at a MMA tournament at the ringside club a few weeks back. Bunch of amateurs going hell for leather, entertaining but Novice like. Yes I do remember those jogs thru Darndale and the odd game of soccer on a Friday was brilliant. Fit as bloody fiddles we were. Not the case now, though I still do a bit of pad work now and again. It really shows you up for your lack of fitness. So you were a few yrs younger than most of the guys I mentioned. Even Dunne and Prior are 25-26 now.

Ahern is a classy strong fit Flyweight, Unfortunately the standard to qualify for the games is almost as tough as winning the Olympic gold. Since the Soviet Union split, it's like 10 times tougher. I wouldn't be too confident in many of our lads making it, though brilliant as they are, even the scoring system always seems to go the way of the Eastern Bloc countries over our lads and the British. Fingers crossed Eh!!!!!

KMack

Yeah that was a big feature in the little documentary I made. He showed me the video of him fighting the Ukranian guy and it was in eastern europe somewhere I think so judges were biased and he made the point that making it is nearly as tough as winning the gold. Yeah I was even a year younger than Stephen Prior. All this talk of boxing has me wanting to go watch!!

walshb

Watch, as in LVE?....I collect boxing DVD's, all the old pro fights and some amateur stuff as well. I get it from the States and it's priceless stuff. Costs about 35 US dollars inc shipping. If you are interested in the Pro's and maybe having an archive of fight footage or KO's click the link below. The guy is sound and very professional.

http://silversurfer91.homestead.com/tyson.html

seamunkey

Great link WalshB thanks...

Looking for contact info for boxing club in Kilkenny city - Marble City BC??
Can anybody help. Trainned with St. Pauls BC, Waterford (great club, and bunch of lads) for 2yrs or so and miss the crack here in KK.

MBC

This is what is on the IABA site:

MARBLE CITY
John Sheridan
The Bungalow
New Park
Co. Kilkenny
05677 51890
or 056 21174

St.Pauls waterford is a very good club, Is Neil Gough a trainer down there now?? I know Seamus Cowman is there - he is a good trainer, I was away a long time ago with Seamus, Keith Whelan and a few others from Dungarvan in Newcastle....what a laugh - a great bunch of lads.

seamunkey

St.Pauls BC waterford is a very good club indeed, Neil Gough train's the lads with Seamus Cowman, Jimmy Payne and 2 other chaps who's names wont' come to me at the moment. Seamus Cowman train's the WIT college aswell and runs a tight training club. All the lads have great respect for the lads and I'm just sorry I hadn't more time to train under them. A great bunch of lads!!
Its a sport alot more young lads should get into at an early stage - seeing the likes of Paddy & Willie O'Reilly, the way they have come up under the guidance of Seamus, would make ya feel sick.
Many thanks for John Sheridan's number...

alispud3

I think i run the major risk here of getting slated but anyway.........does ne know a womans' boxing club just moved up from kildare and the shoe box im living in cant hold me let alone ne boxing equipment!!!??Near drumcondra would be perfect!thanks

MBC

Most clubs have girls in them now, I know Corinthians Boxing Club defo have girls.

CORINTHIANS
Paddy Osbourne
086 1008367

Best of luck with it.