Enniskillen Boxing Club fighters Mark Kells and Aaron Armstrong pictured after competing in the Fermanagh and Tyrone Championship finals
Enniskillen Boxing Club had two fighters taking part in the Fermanagh and Tyrone Championship finals staged in the Station Centre in Omagh recently.
Enniskillen 13-year-old Marks Kells fought in 57kg featherweight division, taking on Carrickmore Boxing Club’s Bernard Corran.
Meanwhile 19-year-old Aaron Armstrong competed in the 81kg light heavyweight division against Gary Milnchey from the Mourne Golden Gloves club based in Strabane.
This was only Mark Kells fourth fight, and he delivered an excellent performance. Kells showed all his assets as a very skillful and strong southpaw, but Corran’s greater ring experience became more apparent as the bout progressed.
To Kells’ credit he used the knowledge he has picked up in his career so far well. He kept mobile in the ring and struck hard with left hooks and right crosses and kept fighting to the last bell. Kells lost in a majority decision being after being outclassed by a much more experienced fighter from Carrickmore.
Aaron Armstrong in his first ever contest for Enniskillen Boxing Club delivered a brilliant performance. Another southpaw, Armstrong followed his pre-bout instructions to the letter, staying on the outside left of his opponent and countering with right crosses every time he jabbed.
Armstrong lost his first two rounds to his Strabane opponent, however in the last round he was clearly getting more confident and caught his rival a very strong right cross to his chin knocking him across the ring. The blow should have resulted in a standing count, which might have changed the final result of the contest, but unfortunately Armstrong lost on a majority decision against another more experienced and aware fighter.
Armstrong started slowly but finished very strong and was much fitter than his opponent. His confident display in his first contest is a promising start to his career.
One absentee at the championships was Enniskillen BC’s James McGrail. The 17-year-old was a strong fancy in the 75kg division however an untimely dose of flu ruled him out of competitive action.