BRYAN MCNAMEE hopes to keep up his unblemished record on foreign soil when he heads for Boston as part of a Donegal boxing squad.
The Convoy ABC welter, a four-time Irish titlist, has won on each of his three visits to canvas outside of Ireland with Donegal.
His most impressive was his unanimous decision win over Mike Ohan in Boston in 2017.
That win, two years past in March, was against an opponent who would turn professional just a few weeks later. Ohan is now 9-0 as a pro, five of his wins coming inside the distance.
McNamee is keen to get back through the ropes again in Boston.
“Hopefully nothing will change on my record…I’m three-from-three,” he says.
“Training is going well. We’re sparring hard and training hard. Things are coming together well.
“It’s great to get away and represent Donegal and Ireland. It’s nice to get the honour.”
McNamee is the captain of the 14-strong Donegal squad.
Earlier this year, LyIT student McNamee overcame John Marshall to win the senior 75kgs title at the Irish Third Level Championships.
He says: “I had a break there, where I was hitting semi-finals or finals and getting beat. It’s nice to get over the line again and get some kind of a reward. I just want to kick on from that now.
“I haven’t had much. I missed the Ulsters and the Irish Championships so I wanted to go for the Colleges title.”
McNamee experienced a big Boston crowd two years ago and he can’t wait to savour the atmosphere again at the CoreBox Training Centre next Friday.
He says: “There’s a huge amount from Donegal in Boston. Seamus Sweeney from Convoy came over the last time we were in Boston. It was brilliant to see him.
“The Irish support was massive and it’s always nice to see Donegal people. There were a few hundred there the last time all cheering and shouting away. It was massive and it’s not something that you get here in Ireland.”
The likes of Jordan Myers from Sligo has given McNamee a fine level of sparring as he prepares to cross the Atlantic.
McNamee says: “We take lumps out of each other and there’s no holding back there.”
“As a boxer, you just want rounds. I can’t wait for the trip now.
“I’m going well and feeling good.”
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