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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Jon McConnell and Matthew McCole went to war on Saturday. Photo: Sportsfile
Matthew McCole was dethroned in the Ulster Elite light-middleweight final by Jon McConnell.
The Illies Golden Gloves southpaw was on the wrong side of a 4-1 split decision.
Holy Trinity BC puncher McConnell turned the tables on McCole, who beat him in last year’s decider. It was the Belfast man, however, who had his hands raised in Saturday’s final at the Girdwood Community Hub.
An intriguing 71kgs contest saw the two old foes go at again with McConnell having beaten McCole in a 2023 Irish Elite semi before the Donegal boxer came out on top in last year’s provincial showdown.
McConnell, the current Irish Elite light-middleweight king following his win over Wayne Kelly in November, had the measure of McCole in the eyes of the judges after a fascinating scrap.
The finals were pushed back due to the weather having been originally slated for Friday night.
On Thursday night, McConnell defeated another Illies Golden Gloves man, Cahir Gormley, who had won an Irish Intermediate title in November. McConnell earned a unanimous decision from the judges.
Read next: Season-opening second for Mark English in France
McCole was given a walkover in his semi-final following the withdrawal of Timothy Burns from Canal BC.
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