28/10/2026
FROM THE ARCHIVE: This brilliant club international pic appeared in The Irish News back on May 24 1995. Here's the story that accompanied it.
UPDATE: second pic courtesy of our great friend, native Belfast man and Canadian team coach on that trip, Paddy Rea (on right)
WELCOME... Sally Fletcher of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board joins Holy Trinity fighters to welcome the best of Canada's boxers.
Visitors share battle honours
Vinny Ryan's squad of Canadian boxers defeated a strong Holy Trinity Select by five bouts to two in the Trinity Lodge in west Belfast.
Fight of the night on this Northern Ireland Tourist Board promotion featured Irish international Eddie Fisher against Canada's Isaac Mitchell.
This light-middleweight bout had the packed hall roaring encouragement as body shots, short hooks and big hits rained in from all angles. A finely-tuned Fisher had his hand raised in victory over the man from Niagara Falls at the end, but a standing ovation saluted both fighters.
The visitors enjoyed seeing the sights around the north, courtesy of the NITB but it didn't sap their energy judging by the performances of Kevin Rea (Burlington, Ontario) and Danny Duschene (Thunder Bay).
Newhill's Hugh Brady was a trifle unfortunate, dropping a 3-2 majority decision to Steve Molitor (Sarnia).
(UPDATE: Steve Molitor, born in Sarnia, Ontario, followed his brother, former Commonwealth champion Jeremy, into boxing. Steve 'The Canadian Kid' Molitor would go to win the IBF super-bantam world title, defending it successfully five times between 2006 and 2008. He surrendered it in a TKO loss to to Celestino Caballero in November 2008, but like the great champion he was, he reclaimed the crown in March 2010. Over 17 years after the teenage Molitor won on the Holy Trinity show in Belfast (that's him in middle of front row) this city was the setting for his final pro fight when he stepped into the ring at the Odyssey Arena in September 2012. His opponent? Carl Frampton.
Result: TKO for The Jackal, Round 6. Two world class stars on show that night.
For more on the Molitor brothers, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Molitor)
Holy Trinity had the opportunity to overturn the defeat when the sides met for a second time in St Agnes' Parish Centre, Andersonstown on Friday night.
Eddie Fisher and Clann Eireann Irish Champion Glenn McLarnon lost on disputed decisions but the promoting Holy Trinity select still managed a 5 bouts to 4 win over their Canadian visitors.
The McLarnon versus Mike Strange, Canada's Commonwealth Champion, and the Fisher v Isaac Mitchell bouts were double icing on the nine-fight cake and worthy of 'fight night' viewing.
Ireland's world senior representative Brian Magee stepped into the ring five days after his return from Berlin for a well-deserved victory over Gil Balteiro (Kingsville); while Michael Blaney looked impressive keeping Ryan Savage at long range to score on all three judges’ cards.
Conall Carmichael (Emerald) and Davy Lowry (Albert Foundry) both turned out in the Holy Trinity colours registering decisive wins for the Belfast side. But Hugh Brady (Newhill) again lost out to Steve Molitor in the opening contest - a defeat that didn't go down well with coach Paul McMahon and a sizeable section of the St Agnes' Parish Centre crowd.
PUNCHLINES
SPORT is a top priority with the Austrian government it seems. Proof of this was found in Carrickfergus when two members of the Austrian cabinet plus the Minister of Sport for the Tirol region accompanied a visiting boxing team.
The Fergus Inn was the venue for the Ulster v Austria clash - again backed by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. The visitors were guests of honour at a reception hosted by the Sports Council in the House of Sport and toured the Glens of Antrim after the serious business of boxing was completed.
The match resulted in a 4-4 draw
REFEREE Bobby Spiers called it a ridiculous decision and official-in-charge Jack Monaghan joined in the criticism of the ringside officials as Corpus Christi boxer Conor McAllister lost out on a majority decision in the Ulster v English schoolboys' match.
The event in Ballymena was reportedly beset with puzzling decisions with McAllister's clubmate in the Whiterock Road gym, John McAree, left to ponder at the result of his bout.
The two sides couldn't be split last time out - drawing 7-7 in Ipswich last November - but Ulster luck was out in the return match. They went down by six bouts to five.
Corpus Christi coach Jim McNeilly couldn't disguise his disgust: "Young McAllister, in particular, beat the cap off his opponent and didn't get it. It was daylight robbery," he declared.
