Joe Ward wins in dominant show at Rumble In The Hills

By Chris McNulty

Joe Ward promised a ‘ruthless efficiency’ on his Irish return – and the Moate southpaw made good his promise in Letterkenny on Saturday evening.

Preventing in Eire for the primary time as a professional, Ward stopped Prince Oko Narty within the second spherical on the Aura Leisure Complicated.

Ward shook Narty in his boots for simply shy of six minutes. When Ward winced Narty with a shuddering left hook, referee David Irving waved it off only a second earlier than the bell.

“It’s very particular to be again dwelling,” Ward mentioned. The group was electrical.

“I used to be very assured. I caught to the plan of excellent, clear, onerous photographs. The writing was on the wall – it was only a matter of when it was going to occur.

The 30-year-old proved an excessive amount of for the sport Narty to deal with. Narty arrived in Donegal with ten of his 11 earlier wins coming inside the space – a CV would possibly’ve been seen as a possible banana pores and skin for Ward.

Narty’s earlier European voyage led to a factors defeat by the hands of James Kraft in Germany in 2019.

Ward has by no means misplaced on an Irish canvas and after virtually seven years of ready he lastly stepped by the ropes into the ring in his dwelling nation. Two-weight world champion Joey Gamache, who works carefully with Ward in New York, was alongside Jimmy Payne within the pink nook.

An over-confident Narty claimed within the build-up that he had ‘acquired what it takes to knock him out’ – however the reverse was true.

Narty shipped a dangerous sequence of blows within the opening spherical as Ward started working in model. Ward smelled blood and the Ghanaian was dripping crimson as he returned to the stool.

There have been instances in the course of the first three minutes when a stoppage appeared attainable. As he pummelled Narty torso, Ward might sense that his reverse quantity was on the brink.

Ward burst onto the scene as a teenage star when, then because the World Youth champion, ending Ken Egan’s decade-long dominance of Eire’s light-heavyweight division in 2011. Ward added one other 4 Irish Elite titles earlier than opting to ditch the beginner vest in pursuit of the skilled path.

After flipping over to the paid ranks, Ward dislocated a knee within the second spherical of his professional debut at Madison Sq. Backyard in 2019. A 14-month interval of inaction adopted, however Ward – a three-time European gold and three-time World medalist as an beginner – has rebuilt and believes he’s prepared to bop with the very best gentle heavies once more.

Ward mentioned: “I’m able to tackle any of the highest guys. I’m able to battle and I’m excited for 2024.”

Within the co-main occasion of the evening, Belfast’s James McGivern (8-0, 2KOs) received the BUI Celtic light-weight title.

McGivern entered title territory with a unanimous choice win over Josh Sandford, whose document drops to 6-1. McGivern had the belt strapped after taking scores of 78-74, 79-73, 78-75 from the judges.

The Ormeau Highway southpaw mentioned earlier than that ‘this could possibly be the evening that catapults me to the remainder of my profession’ – and he proved too slick for the ’Sandman’.

McGivern rocked Sandford within the first with a left hook and shortly adopted with the mirror shot off his proper.

The mostly-elusive McGivern was caught by one straight proper by Sandford within the second, however McGivern reacted angrily and with function, ending the spherical by touchdown a proper uppercut on his opponent.

The fighters put their unbeaten data on the road in a cracking contest that introduced the viewers to the sting of their perches.

Sandford was opened above the precise eye within the fourth, however tagged a pair of hammers of his personal on McGivern. The Belfast man took receipt of an over-the-top proper, however arrowed a candy left higher again on the goal.

Because the battle went into its latter stanzas, the 2 traded ferociously and a phenomenal left from McGivern lifted the noise within the remaining spherical. The Stylish McGivern bounced on his toes within the remaining couple of rounds, displaying that greater levels at the moment are attainable. When ring announcer Terry Kavanagh confirmed the decision, McGivern’s vocal help lifted the roof.

Liam Walsh, son of Elite Sports activities Promotions chief Barry Walsh, stopped David Tancos (1-1) early within the second spherical of their super-middleweight assembly.

The ‘Kingdom Child’ (6-0-2, 3KOs) inflicted a variety of physique blows within the first spherical and, simply because the ten-second alert was sounding, went upstairs to ship Tancos again to the nook slightly frazzled. Forty seconds into the second, Walsh related with one other, Tancos turned away after a coming-together.

Tancos was unable to proceed and Walsh was toasting a 3rd stoppage win of his profession.

“I’m over the moon to get him out of there,” the still-undefeated Walsh mentioned.

His brother, ’Fairly Boy’ Paddy Walsh was taken the 4 spherical distance by English journeyman Dale Arrowsmith with Walsh (3-0, 1KO) taking a 40-36 factors win from their welterweight joust.

Arrowsmith, now 6-94-4, has amassed over 100 fights in six years, was stopped simply seven instances in 93 earlier defeats. The sturdy Stockport man offered a risk at instances on an evening that ought to stand to Walsh. Arrowsmith was offered with a commemorative plaque to mark having handed 100 fights by former Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz, who jetted in to Eire for the occasion.

Commonwealth Video games bronze medallist Tyler Jolly blasted his approach to a 3rd stoppage from three skilled bouts. The 24-year-old Scot, who’s coached by former three-weight world champion Ricky Burns, dropped Poland’s Damian Haus (4-11-1) thrice within the first spherical for one more swift victory.

London-based Danny Boyle returned to Donegal to assert a 60-53 factors win towards Bulgarian Evgeni Borisov. The Dungloe gentle heavyweight (3-0-1) was combating over six rounds for the primary time and gave the house followers one thing to cheer with a helpful win over Borisov (4-12-1).

Navan super-feather Cain Lewis moved his thus-far unbeaten document to 4-0-1 as he claimed a primary stoppage win of his professional profession. Lewis cracked Jan Gorol (4-3) with a right-hander after 54 seconds of the third spherical and the Czech opponent was counted out.

Lewis says he desires momentum now and a ‘title battle earlier than the top of subsequent 12 months’.

Galway cruiserweight Jason Myers (1-0, 1KO) demonstrated the ‘Palms of Stone’ moniker he fights underneath with a superb debut win. Myers terrorised Bulgarian Martin Milev (1-1) with a rake of vicious photographs. When Milev visited the canvas, two minutes and 43 seconds into the opening spherical, referee Paul McCullagh stepped in to name a halt.

The evening additionally featured two beginner exhibition contests with Karl Sheridan from Cherry Orchard BC taking up Matty Boreland of the Coleraine-based Churchlands Golden Gloves and Raphoe BC’s Cathal McLaughlin going through Cody Lee Peoples, combating out of Move Academy.

Joe Ward wins in dominant show at Rumble In The Hills was final modified: November twenty first, 2023 by Workers Author