Leo ‘the Lion’ Laverty had a big heart and fought hard to win his All- Ireland boxing title
A 12-year old boxing dynamo from Killough in County Down has scooped an All-Ireland title in Dublin.
After training for just 16 months at the Star of the Sea Boxing Club in Killough, precocious boxer Leo Laverty from Killough matured very quickly as a young entrant to the sport.
In the final of the 82Kgs class in the All-Ireland final, Leo put on a dazzling display of boxing from the front and back foot and eventually stopped his opponent in the third round.
Leo said: “I’m delighted to win this medal. I’ve trained quite hard for it and it’s just great to be an All-Ireland champion.
“I had won before in the Down and Armagh fights and really enjoyed it.
“I’ll just keep on boxing and it would be a dream to one day get into the Ireland boxing team for the Olympic Games. But I’ll have a lot of work to do before that stage. But it’s a dream!”
The Lecale Trinity pupil had just been boxing for 16 months when he peaked and nailed the title. His previous win set him up for a title fight for his weight and he was growing in confidence along with his boxing ability.
Training three times a week, Leo focused hard and was fighting fit when it came to the final stages of the competition.
Boxing Club trainer Conor Rogan said: “We are still all in a bubble at Leo’s achievement. Leo is a great boxer. He has a positive attitude. He never misses a training session… he works hard all year round and is dedicated. He gives it everything. He never messes about in training. He’s focused.
“Before a big fight we would go to a few other clubs and spar there and train. It broadens his feel for boxing.
“Leo is still very young but certainly has potential. We are here to help him on his boxing journey.
“Although Leo is quite tall for his age and weight, he has some trouble finding suitable boxers to pair off with but he will gain a lot of experience going forward after his All-Ireland win.”
Conor added: “Leo put in the work for the final and it showed. He stopped his opponent from Rathkeel in County Limerick in the third round. Very impressive. He fought really well.
“His win reflects his boxing ability and the effort he makes in putting the hours in.
“We are just all absolutely delighted at his win and we hope he does well and his dreams become a reality. He has done Killough proud.”
Well done champ!
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