Boxing greats help All Saints club celebrate 50 years

Boxing greats past and present will be in attendance to help the Cushendall Road Club mark a memorable milestone in its history.

They will gather for a special fight night at the Leighinmohr House Hotel this Saturday evening, with the first contest on a superb bill starting at 8pm sharp.

The event forms the centrepiece of All Saints’ golden anniversary celebrations and it certainly seems to have captured the public’s imagination.

“There has been a great deal of interest and we’re anticipating a big crowd,” All Saints coach Gerry Hamill told Times Sport.

“Before we would have held a dinner to coincide with our fight night but we recognise that in these tough economic times, the market isn’t there for individuals or companies to spend several hundred pounds on taking a table.

“Instead, by charging £10 per head simply for the boxing, we’ve tried to keep it within people’s price range to ensure that all boxing fans get the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the top Northern Irish boxers of yesteryear and right up to the modern day,” added Gerry.

Among the guests who have pledged their support are three-times Commonwealth Games medallist Davy Larmour and former Lonsdale Belt winner Hugh Russell.

Eamon McAuley, himself a former professional, and a great nephew of the great Rinty Monaghan will also be in attendance, bringing with him Rinty’s world championship belt.

Ballymena-based Eamonn Loughran will also be in attendance, along with his WBO world welterweight belt, while Carl Frampton, the reigning Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion will also be there.

European Light Welterweight champion Paul McCloskey also hopes to take time out from his preparations for his upcoming fight to support All Saints and also run his eye over his former amateur club St Canice’s, Dungiven, who will provide opposition for a number of All Saints’ current crop of boxers on the night.

One of those Dungiven boxers is Niall McFeely, who takes on All Saints’ Vinny Esler, who will be hoping to turn around his fortunes after two previous defeats by the same opponent.

At heavyweight, Malachy McKernan takes on John Crothers (St John Bosco) in what might well prove to be the contest of the night.

Other All Saints boxers who will display their skills include Joel Scullion, Niall McKernan, Raymond Ward, Kevin Gribben, Dylan Matchett, Ricky Moore and Reece McDonnell.

The event will be compered by Harry McGavock, who will combine his announcing duties in the ring with interviewing the past and present stars.

There will also be a raffle with prizes including two £50 tickets for Carl Frampton’s next fight.

Tickets for the event are priced at just £10 each and are available from the club or from any committee member.

Copies of boxing writer Denis O’Hara’s book chronicling the history of All Saints will also be on sale on the night and are also on sale from the club or from Diamond’s newsagents, Broughshane Street.