James “the assassin” Kelly from Athenry is the latest Galway Black Dragon kick boxer to claim an All Ireland title.
Kelly was in action on Saturday night in Lawlors Hotel, Dungarvan, where he took on Deise kickboxer and local hero Jack Power for the vacant IKF All Ireland Junior Lightweight title over a scheduled five rounds.
The pair had met more than a year ago in Galway, with Power getting the nod by judges decision, but this was to be Kelly’s night.
Kelly caught the Deise fighter with vicious right hooks to the body and head in round two, dropping him to the canvas and Power was counted out.
Clubmate Sandra Bieliauskaite was in action also and she stopped her Dungarvan opponent in the third round. Making her ring debut, she had a rocky start and took a beating in the first round, but she hung in there and showed great character to force the stoppage.
