Body Mechanics Health and Fitness happy to support Cork's boxing revival with new monthly award

LAST week the Cork County Boxing Board initiated and announced their promotion of the Cork Boxer of the Month award. 

The board were delighted to have secured another sponsor for this award which will give recognition to a Cork Boxer each month. 

Body Mechanics Health and Fitness, one of Cork's leading Gyms located in Douglas, will join with the Board in a further endeavour to continue to promote the sport on Leeside.

This award will be presented monthly and at the end of the year each recipient will attend a Cork Boxing Breakfast where the overall winner for the year will be announced. 

Cian O'Brien who is co-owner of Body Mechanics is delighted to be involved in the sport.

"We are delighted to be associated with this promotion.

“Boxing in Cork is now on the crest of a wave and the very good results at national level over the last number of years suggest to us that Amateur Boxing is very worthy of our support.

"This monthly award we hope will continue to encourage Boxers to aspire to winning a Cork Boxer of the Month award.” 

The inaugural Cork Boxer of the Month award for January was recently presented to Midleton Boxer Kuba Pielesz. 

This followed his outstanding victory over Danny Lucey of Rylane BC at the recent Olympic Festival of Cork Boxing. 

This was the final bout of a magnificent two days Boxing. 

It was the senior 63kg contest and both boxers gave an extraordinary exhibition of first-class Boxing. 

From the first bell it was action all the way. The pace was relentless and following each round the first was swaying in either direction. 

The attendance were on their feet as the rival supporters encouraged their boxers in an atmosphere that was akin to the halcyon days of Cork Boxing.

This very evenly matched bout was a great advertisement for Senior Amateur Boxing in Cork. 

Here we had two very primed and very fit athletes displaying all the finer points of the Nobel Art in their quest for victory. 

The gladiators in the old Colosseum would have approved that this truly was the spirit of Olympic Boxing. 

Following the final bell many of the neutrals in the packed auditorium could not decide who had won the contest it was so close. 

To the surprise of no one the MC announced it was a split decision and by the narrowest of margins Kuba from the Midleton club was proclaimed the winner.

Many contend this was one of the best bouts seen in Cork over many years. 

Cork Boxing supporters will have an opportunity to see a re match of this bout again. 

This will take place as part of the Rylane Boxing Tournament which is on in the Rochestown Park Hotel on Saturday 16th March next.

Following his success over an outstanding Danny Lucey of Rylane BC Kuba was announced as the first award winner for the month of January. 

The presentation to Kuba was made by Cian O'Brien on behalf of Body Mechanics. 

Kuba was accompanied by His coach Billy O'Sullivan of the Midleton Boxing Club. 

This club recently received widespread acclamation in this column following their outstanding Club Tournament which took place at the Midleton GAA Pavilion. 

Billy O'Sullivan said: “the Club were delighted with the recent tournament and may organise a further one later in the year."

He also expressed delight following his Boxers success at the recent Olympic Tournament.

Elsewhere, continuing the Olympic theme, the Glen BC were the first sporting organisation in the Country to fly the Olympic flag to mark the centenary of Irish Olympic Participation. 

Last week it was nice to hear Kenny Egan, Irish Olympic Silver medallist in Beijing in 2008 announce that the Dublin St Patrick's Day organising committee had agreed to add a float to the international parade to mark the centenary of Irish boxing's participation at the games. 

Meanwhile, in Cork many other events have been arranged to celebrate the success of our Olympians over that century. 

The Boxing wall in Bishop Lucey Park has proudly displayed an Olympic plaque depicting Cork`s Olympic representatives down through the years. 

A picture of that plaque appears on this page today. Bishop Lucey park is currently being refurbished. 

This work is expected to be completed by June 2025. All in Cork Boxing are looking forward to the provision of a new boxing wall when the park reopens.

Last weekend the Cork County Boxing Championships took place. 

This was a three-day event where all followers of the sport enjoyed a high standard of boxing. 

This year the Board had the highest ever entry for these championships and this endorsed fully the continuous growth in Cork Boxing. 

The Cork County Board wish to thank all officials who participated over the three days and thank all clubs, coaches and boxers for helping to contribute to an outstanding 2024 Cork County Boxing Championships.