Enniskillen Athletic Boxing Club has been invited to compete in the Inspire Boxing Championships in Derby, England, on October 9.

The club will have five junior boxers and five senior boxers representing Enniskillen against some of the UK’s up and coming boxing talent.

The prestigious tournament has a huge following and will have upwards of 1,000 spectators at the venue, which is also running pay-per-view streams of the event, such is its popularity.

Mark Gaffney, Head Coach and owner of Enniskillen Athletic Boxing Club, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for the guys at the club and was something that we are very excited and grateful to be invited to.

“Having had to close the club for more than a year with the Covid-19 outbreak, like all other sports clubs, we have huge financial pressures and stress related to it.

“But this is exactly what the guys needed, and is a huge opportunity to gain exposure and to show all the people watching just what talented boxers we have here in Enniskillen.”

One of the junior boxers, Donatas Rokis, has been offered to compete for the Tri Nations Belt, in which he will be pitted against a young lad from Wales who has held the title and belt for more than three years now.

“This is a huge opportunity for Donatas – not only will he be captaining the club in England, but he has the chance to bring this belt back to Enniskillen, which has been contested before by lads from Scotland and England, but to no avail.

Phenomenal

“So now Donatas has the chance to box it out of the hands of this very competent Welsh lad. The training Donatas has put in so far is phenomenal, and we couldn’t be more confident he’ll be victorious,” added Mark.

Andy Downey, who coaches at the club, added: “We, as a club, are under no illusions how tough the bouts will be out there, and understand with being the away boxers we will be competing against a hostile crowd.

“But seeing the confidence the boxers havem and how everyone bounces off one another in the club, we know that the Enniskillen boxers won’t be fazed in the slightest.”

There will be a number of pubs streaming the event across Enniskillen, supporting the lads as they do battle.

For further details, follow the boxing club’s Facebook page, Enniskillen Boxing and Cardio Fitness, or drop Mark Gaffney a message directly.