Derry teenager claims the Irish Universities Senior Championship
Fionn Duffy, representing Ulster University Magee, now has his sights set on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year now
A Derry teenager claimed the Irish Universities Senior Championship in the senior elite category.
Fionn Duffy, currently studying personalised medicine at Ulster University Magee, representing the university, secured the title after winning three fights over the past two weekends, beating his opponent in the final by unanimous decision.
The 18-year-old said: “The quarterfinal was on a Saturday, and the semifinal was on Sunday. In the quarter, I defeated a lad who was a former Irish champion from ATU in Letterkenny, and I stopped him in the second round.
“The semifinals on Sunday I beat a lad, Danny O’Neill from Newry, who was a top boy at my weight, and I knew him from being about, and he is a top fighter. I beat him with a good performance on points.
“This meant I moved onto the final the next week on a Saturday, and I fought a guy from Omagh called Padraig Taggart. I knew him as he is a top lad at the weight, and I beat him in a unanimous decision.”
Duffy was overjoyed by his success, particularly after the disappointment he experienced earlier in the year, as he had to pull out of the British Championships in Portsmouth due to an illness.
The St. Joseph's ABC member said: “I was devastated.
“This drove me on to put it right as I had missed a good opportunity in the British Championships.
“I spent six or seven weeks getting ready for it, so I put in a good training camp, and I was travelling a good bit sparring, knuckling down to get this title.”
This was the first time Duffy took part in this competition, as a first year at Ulster University, with the potential of winning this title another three times during his studies.
The potential of holding this title for four years would be an incredible feat; however, he is not thinking about this, focusing only on the upcoming events over the next year or two targeting the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The competition was not initially supposed to be held in the Scottish city, as they were supposed to be hosted in Victoria, but the Australian city withdrew due to the rising costs, so Glasgow stepped in to host.
However, this could not have worked out better for Duffy, as he believes this is the best venue he has ever experienced boxing in his short life.
He said: “That would be a big thing we are looking forward to.
“A big dream would probably be the Olympics, and if I didn’t get that or I did and it went well, if I was offered the right offer further down the line, I would consider being a professional if it was the right time with the right advice and people around me.
“But now as an amateur I am definitely going to try and spend a few years at this level and chase the Commonwealth Games next year to start.
“That is a dream of mine, as when I was younger, Connor Coyle would have been in my gym, and my dad coached him, so I went with them to Glasgow in 2014 to watch him, so it would be made for me to go over there and emulate him.”
Boxing has always been in the 18-year-old's life, joining his father, Cahir Duffy, in the gym and travelling to competitions from a young age.
Duffy fondly remembers travelling to the Commonwealth Games, taking in the spectacle as he watched on as his father coached his boxing hero Coyle.
While he was disappointed that Coyle only secured a bronze medal, he was inspired to represent Northern Ireland in the competition.
However, when the time rolls around he is hopeful of going further than the 34-year-old boxer.
To have this opportunity of representing Northern Ireland, Duffy knows that he needs to focus solely on his boxing and work hard with his coaches in both university and St. Joseph's ABC to achieve this ambition.
He said: “I played football and did all sports growing up, but I was always around the boxing gym watching boys train from when I was no age.
“I only started taking boxing more seriously when I was around 12, when I could compete at competitions. I only stopped football last year, when I was playing for Maiden City, as I was a good footballer too, but it had become too much.”
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games are set to be held from July 23, to August 2 next year; Duffy will be working hard over 2025 to impress the selectors to ensure he is at the forefront of their thoughts when deciding which boxers to bring to the Scottish city.