How Golden Gloves Boxing Club fought their way to the top of the sport in Cork

Following another phenomenal year of unprecedented success, the Golden Gloves boxing club are once again the kingpins of Cork boxing and the proud holders of the Victor Aston Cup.                  

 Golden Gloves is a relatively young club on the Cork boxing landscape. However, in a few short years, they have made a huge impact on the sport and carved out a niche which places them prominently amongst Cork's boxing gentry.  They are based in Churchfield where they enjoy an elevated status amongst the community.

The tall shadow of Cork boxing history does not phase them despite being nestled in a geographic terrain on the northside of the city surrounded by folklore and tradition which is enjoyed by The Glen, Sunnyside, and Fr Horgan's boxing clubs.    

One of the main sporting architects driving this club forward is head coach John Morrissey. This very prominent former senior and international boxer has a wealth of boxing knowledge and imparts this treasure trove of information to both his young charges and others all the way up to senior/elite boxing athletes.      

 Recently while driving up Fairhill, he reflected on all the past boxers who had won national titles and all came from the left-hand side, and represented either Sunnyside, Fr Horgan`s or the Glen. These three clubs were the backbone of the sport and were famously known and respected throughout the island of Ireland.

The old order now no longer prevails on the northside, and to many it is King Kong Morrissey who reigns in magnificent sporting splendour. This crown sits gently on his head.

The affectionate name of King Kong came from the many battles fought by boxers he coached to win Al-Ireland titles against all the odds in the National Stadium over the last 10 years.    Morrissey attributes much of his pugilistic ring craft and knowledge to Tommy Kelleher the veteran Glen BC coach. This boxing wisdom was learned by Morrissey at the Ballyvolane BC where John boxed and had Kelleher as his coach.

Pride of Leeside

This was a very successful club where Tommy trained a multiplicity of national champions including his son Michael who won six national championships. Down through all the years, Morrissey and Kelleher have remained close friends. When Golden Gloves won the Cork Boxing Club of the Year for the first time in 2023, Tommy presented John with an engraved tankard to mark his achievement in guiding Golden Gloves to the supreme and lofty perch of becoming 'The Boxing Pride of Leeside.'

Three years later Morrissey and his club have once again reached the Holy Grail. The past year has seen the Golden Gloves club excel once again and produce national champions and international boxers in both male and female boxing categories and at both juvenile and senior levels.

Conal Thomas, President of the Cork Boxing Fraternity Association, was abroad at a professional boxing event.

On his return he said: “Aaron O’Donoghue was also on the bill, and he won a great fight. The one man I taught of straight away was John Morrissey and how he coached Aaron right to the top of Irish amateur boxing to win first a senior title and then an elite title.

“I will never forget how proud his mother and father were when standing next to John Morrissey they saw An Taoiseach Micheàl Martin present the Paddy 'The Champ' Martin Cup to their son, who was resplendently dressed in his defence forces uniform, while also in the presence of military personnel from Collins Barracks.”  

This is a prime example of the great occasions which have been experienced by many Golden Gloves boxers.

The Paddy Martin Cup is presented each year, to Cork`s top boxer and two years after Aaron 'Donoghue’s success, the cup was subsequently won by two further Golden Gloves boxers, 2025 Kuba Pielesz and this year William Heaphy.

The Golden Gloves Club is an example to all. The club is run in a very efficient way, and this quality has been observed by many other Cork coaches.

Head coach John Morrissey said: “The club has a very hardworking team of volunteers who all enjoy an equal share in the success of the club.” 

 He praised fitness coach Conor Connolly whom he described as the best in the business and a man who bonds well with all boxers. John Murphy plays a very effective role with the junior boxers and Scott Long blends in well looking after the young guns. 

Irene Morrisey does a lot of research work and comes up with some very effective plans which are of great benefit to all individual boxers.

John Morrisey also praised his father Seanie who has been with him all his life in boxing. The show goes on every day of the week in the Golden Gloves Club. 

Last Sunday morning Morrissey had a training session in the Club and received a visit from a very special guest – the former European champion Paul Griffin arrived to congratulate them on their great success on becoming Cork’s number one boxing club again.