RETIRED ring master Damien Denny, once a high octane welterweight and light-middleweight, has no problems recalling a special night in Belfast’s Ulster Hall.
The black and white photograph once featured in The Irish News files, an image displaying dapper Damien, fresh from an easy ring outcome, being interviewed by yours truly.
Looking more like a bit player from a Peaky Blinders film – sporting a flat cap and large bifocals – I followed a good chunk of Denny’s career, both amateur and professional, and later kept alert to the boxer’s seamless move from real fighting to acting ring action on the silver screen.
“The photograph was taken after I defeated James McGee on a McMahon Promotion in the Ulster Hall. Also in the photograph frame, back right, is another local sports journalist, the late Alex Toner,” recalled Denny, now a 59-year-old personal trainer.
He made a rare professional appearance in his once favourite amateur venue at Bedford Street, stopping McGee – a gangling 6′1″ fighter from Warwickshire – in the second of an eight-rounder.
This was an eliminator for the Irish welterweight championship, with referee on the night legendary Olympic silver medallist Freddie Tiedt.
The date was March 24, 1993 and the supporting boxers on the bill included former ABA lightweight champion Eamonn McAuley, Patrick Loughran and Bernard McComiskey.
While back in his native city, Denny also picked up a victory at Maysfield Leisure Centre, with his His last winning outing was in Dublin – on a Brian Peters promotion at the Point Depot – beating Rick North on the undercard of the Wayne McCullough points-winning thriller against Fabrice Benichou in November 1994.
This was to be Denny’s penultimate professional contest, as he lost in April 1995 to Sheffield’s Paul ‘Silky’ Jones in a WBO inter-continental super-welterweight title joust at the Ulster Hall.
Born in Lisburn, Denny, whose father Billy hurled for O’Donovan Rossa, made his professional boxing debut at London’s Royal Albert Hall on July 1, 1987.
“I kept away from the hurling my father enjoyed so much, sticking with boxing. When I started out as a professional I signed up with Frank Warren.
“I was with him for three years, and did a short spell with Barry Hearn that didn’t go too well. Finally, after I moved back home from London I joined Owen McMahon, and I was with him when I retired from the ring.”
Denny’s illustrious amateur career, when representing the famed Holy Trinity club, took in many adventures – including competing at the 1986 World Amateur Championships in Reno, Nevada.
One of the biggest thrills happened outside the ropes, however, when he met ring legends, Laszlo Papp of Hungary and Cuba’s sensational heavyweight Teofilio Stevenson.
“Both proved to be exceptional gentlemen, no problems in posing with me for a photograph. I was also introduced to Evander Holyfield,” recalled Denny, who impressed when inside the Reno ropes.
“My biggest amateur memory was my 1985 stoppage of Billy Walsh in Dublin for the Irish title. That same year I had a tough, hard bout with my club colleague Billy McClean in the Ulster Hall. Billy is a lovely fella and a great friend.“
The Ulster amateur finals in the Ulster Hall were very special – I remember when I was a wee nipper I slipped into a night of memorable finals, including the first sighting of Barry McGuigan, who beat Seanie Russell for the provincial bantamweight title.
“Looking back over my years in the ring I’d say the hardest puncher I ever met was world welterweight champion, Crisanto ‘Claws’ Espana, when I became his sparring partner.
“Espana was a phenomenal hitter – and was preparing to defend his title in Paris, against Ghana’s Ike Quartey. Espana ran out of sparring partners, including some brought in from the USA.
“I was approached, asked if I could help… I did – and lasted the course. I was down in the Eastwood gym for six weeks, and then BJ [Eastwood] took me with Espana to Paris for six days.”
Moving on from an active ring career, Denny landed boxer-cum-actor film work, starring in the famous 1997 Jim Sheridan film production ‘The Boxer’, helping to tutor film lead Daniel Day-Lewis.
The film also had Barry McGuigan as technical advisor and one day McGuigan, also trainer to Day-Lewis, invited Denny to join as a sparring partner.
Other boxers involved included Phil Sutcliffe, Clayton Stewart and Cornelius Carr, while Tiedt was the acting film fight referee, with Holy Family coach Gerry Storey the cornerman.
“During that time the boxing action was staged in Grosvenor House in London, but the production team had to leave early as the venue was booked for something else.
“Jim Sheridan moved a lot of us to Dublin where he had a replica venue made at Ardmore Studios to complete the movie.
“I also did a Fortune’s Road film [with James Kelly] and ‘Slap’, as well as a wee bit of stage work… it was a very exciting time for me.“
IRVING BOWS OUT OF WORLD ELITES
CARLEIGH Irving came up just short in her first outing at a major elite international tournament on Monday afternoon.
The Derry teenager has had a rapid rise through the ranks, winning an Ulster elite crown before bringing home an impressive silver from the European U23 Championships last October.
Irving had been with the Irish team at a training camp in China before heading to Serbia, where the action got under way on Sunday.
Judy Bobbett – the only Irish boxer between the ropes on the opening day – lost out to Turkey’s Elif Guneri despite a brave performance, and it wasn’t to be for Irving either as she came up against veteran Venezuelan light-fly Tayonis Cedeno.
Paris Olympians Jennifer Lehane and Michaela Walsh also exited the competition on Monday, Lehane losing her opening bout against Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang before Belfast’s Walsh fell to home favourite Andjela Brankovic in the evening session.
Grainne Walsh makes her return to the ring on Tuesday, meanwhile, and has been handed a tough ask in her maiden bout in Nis.
The Offaly woman has been drawn against number two seed and reigning Asian champion Navbakhor Khamidova in the last 16, and will face the Uzbek in the evening session.
Another Paris Olympian, Daina Moorehouse, is in action on Tuesday after being handed a bye, and will take on China’s Hu in the last 16.
2022 World champion Lisa O’Rourke takes on Azerbaijan’s Aynur Rzayeva in the last 16 on Wednesday, with big sister and two-time Olympian Aoife the last Irishwoman between the ropes the following day.
Top seed at middleweight, the Roscommon woman enters the fray against either Bulgarian or Uzbek opposition on Thursday.
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