Darragh Foley went half way across the globe to restart his boxing career. Now faces the important bout of his life against Jack Catterall
“I’m going across southeast Asia thinking, ‘what am I going to do with my life?’,” Foley says. “It hurt me that 10 people had beaten me as an amateur. I’m a proud man and I knew that I’d always win the first round, but I would then lose and it was down to a lack of dedication and work. I was in Thailand and I just thought, this doesn’t sit well, how I ended boxing. I decided I’m going to be a professional boxer.
Darragh Foley had to graft – and bluff – to find a gym to train in in Perth."They told me I [could] train there. They knew I had no quit in me, there was this dog in me." Photograph: Lewis Storey/Getty Images Foley built up a loyal Irish fan base in Sydney and headlined a show in 2016 at Sydney Olympic Park on St Patrick’s Day against world-ranked Brandon Ogilvie. It was a rare opportunity for Foley to showcase his skills to a big audience, but a disastrous weight cut left him weakened before the first bell went. He was beaten convincingly, but curiously, he knew that this loss was a turning point in his career.
After that defeat, Foley didn’t lose for two years, before a being beaten by Akeen Ennis Brown at London’s York Hall for the European title in 2018. The next year, he was beaten by Belfast prospect Tyrone McKenna at a packed Ulster Hall. He came back with two comeback fights, but felt that his left shoulder was significantly weakened by 2021. Foley is a southpaw fighter, so jabs with his right hand, using his left hand to throw his hardest punches.
In late February, Foley was leaving the casino in Sydney when he got a phone call from his manager that changed his life. Unbeaten Australian star Liam Parro was due to make his debut in England against Davies Jr but sustained a facial injury. They needed a durable and respectable opponent who would put up a good show on short notice. The opponent was not there to win, he was there to keep Davies Jr warm before a world title shot.
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