Three All Ireland titles were won by Galwegians at the annual Seasons Beatings kickboxing promotion in Menlo Park Hotel on Saturday.
The star of the show was 38-years-old mother of two Yvonne "No Mercy" McNevin who won her first title with a TKO in the fourth round.
Taking on Waterford’s Geina McGrath for the vacant IKF All Ireland flyweight title, McNevin was relentless in her attacks, sending McGrath to the canvas twice for eight counts before the end of the first round.
Although the second round was closer, McNevin always looked the stronger, and in the third round she broke through McGrath’s defence yet again and forced another standing count. With no let up from the Galwegian, McGrath threw in the towel in the fourth, ensuring McNevin claimed her first All Ireland crown.
The main event featured Galway’s Gary "Slick" Manogue making a mandatory first defence of his IKF Five Nations crown. Manogue earned a hard-fought unanimous decision to claim victory against unbeaten Welshman Mike Sandford from Swansea.
Oughterard’s Bryan "Mayhem" Merrigan took on Muay Thai specialist Josh Tannian from Spartans Thaiboxing camp in Cork for the vacant IKF All Ireland super welterweight title. After shaping up to be a cracker between two tough guys, Merrigan caught Tannian with a vicious inside leg kick which dropped the Corkman midway through the first round. As a result Tannian was unable to continue, ensuring Merrigan became champion of Ireland in the first round.
