IABA to honour 'Mr Boxing' Peter O'Donnell in memoriam at National Elite finals

The late Peter O’Donnell will be posthumously honoured by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) this weekend at the National Elite finals in Dublin.

Derry native O’Donnell, who was the President of the County Donegal Boxing Board, passed away in October following a brief illness.

The Raphoe Boxing Club stalwart had become the Voice of Irish Boxing, from his role calling some of the biggest fights in Ireland, be it at the National Stadium or the Ulster Hall.

On a weekend such as the Elite finals, he would have been in his element, attired in his beloved IABA blazer, mic in hand, to call the fights at the National Stadium.

O’Donnell took the microphone from Jack Greene as the ring announcer for the local shows in the 1990s and it was a role he filled on big nights at the National Stadium.

With the mic, he had the nervous pause at the end of a fight down to a fine art.

This Saturday evening, members of his family will be present at ringside on the South Circular Road as Donegal’s ‘Mr Boxing’ will be honoured in memoriam.

“The man whose dulcet and distinctive tones called tens of thousands of boxers to the ring in the home of Irish Boxing, and unveiled many thousands as IABA champions,” the IABA said.

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“Peter also represented Ireland on the international stage: he was the joint Team Ireland Manager for the Monkstown International Box Cup in July, and he was Team Manager for the 2024 European Junior Boxing Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

“He led Team Ireland at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Belgrade and was previously team manager at the 2015 European Elite Championships in Bulgaria.

“Peter is, rightfully, held in high regard in his native Donegal, and is a multiple winner of Donegal Sports Star awards, including Team Manager of the Year and community appreciation accolades.”

Brendan O Conaire, Joe Vaughan, Joe Hennigan, Paul Loonam Senior, Jim Moore and Paul McCullough Junior will also be honoured in memoriam on Saturday night.