Dean Clancy’s journey in the Paris Olympics was abruptly halted after a hard first round encounter with Jordanian boxer, Obada Al-Kasbeh. The early duel resulted in a contentious decision in favour of Al-Kasbeh.
Despite four judges siding with Al-Kasbeh within the initial three minutes, Clancy, the 22-year-old Irish novice, found himself in an uphill battle against his seasoned rival. Ultimately, he succumbed with a 3-2 final score of 27-29, 28-28, 29-27, 28-28, 27-29.
Al-Kasbeh, aged 29, brought his experience from past participations in Rio and Tokyo Olympics to bear, fiercely launching into the match while utilising his jab effectively from the onset. Clancy, on his part, exposed himself routinely during the first minutes as Al-Kasbeh relying on his discreet stance, progressively accumulated points.
Acknowledging the harsh nature of the contest, Clancy admitted, “I envisaged it would be a difficult match pace-wise, and it just took a bit of time for me to get into my stride. The second round saw me more settled and I believe my performance in the third round was noteworthy. Some of my shots were more eye-catching, but such is boxing.”
The aspiring Olympian also experienced some physicality, evident in the scrapes around his head. In one instance, he received a hit while kneeling on one knee, with no punishment given. Consistent rough play in the third round saw Al-Kasbeh issued a warning and a point deduction. Clancy, however, feels Al-Kasbeh should have been penalised for the initial offence as well.
“Yeah, he was rather tough,” Clancy commented, “He connected me with a few elbows when I rushed in with a jab… but then again, that’s the nature of the sport.”
Just some weeks before heading off to Paris, Clancy, fighting for the Irish team, had a sparring session in a German training camp with his upcoming opponent. Although familiar with his opponent’s techniques, Clancy grappled with perfecting his range in the initial rounds, only to make a strong comeback towards the culmination of the contest.
Despite showing improved form in the second round wherein he was able to perform better and cover more ground, the round ended with a close 2-3 defeat for him. However, the overall victory was still hanging in balance as they moved to the third round.
In the subsequent round, demonstrating a more accelerated tempo, Clancy better capitalized on his range and landed some successful combinations. He was successful in luring Al-Kasbeh into a foul thirty seconds before the concluding bell. However, the match concluded with a razor-thin win for the Jordanian, leaving a deeply disappointed Clancy at the Paris Arena amidst cheering family and fans.
While expressing gratitude for the opportunity, Clancy conveyed his discomfort with the overall atmosphere, but mentioned his regret over not being able to secure the win.
Come Sunday, in the Paris Arena, three more of Ireland’s fighters will make their first appearances. Among them is Aidan Walsh from the Holy Family, embarking on his Olympic journey by fighting against Makan Traore of France. Walsh, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is yet to face Traore; their most recent participation in the same tournament saw Walsh moving on to the quarterfinals while Traore did not procure a win.
Gráinne Walsh, who is the first Irish female boxer to step into the ring, is scheduled to face Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori. Walsh, one of the two athletes in a six-woman Irish team required to compete in the opening round, is unfamiliar with her opponent, a rarity in the European arena. They both transitioned into the division from different weights, with Walsh switching from 69kg to 66kg and Hamori moving up from 64kg to 66kg. Four members of the team, namely, Daina Moorehouse, Jenny Lehane, Michaela Walsh, and Kellie Harrington, were fortunate to receive byes in the draw.
The concluding third bout on Sunday evening will be Jack Marley’s debut. Marley, a heavyweight hailing from South Dublin and associated with the Monkstown club, is set to face Mateusz Bereznicki from Poland. In their past two encounters, Marley emerged victorious – initially at the quarter-final of the 2022 EUBC European U22 Championships and secondly at the Usti nad Labem Grand Prix in the Czech Republic in 2023, when Bereznicki failed to show up.
This coming Sunday’s Irish matches (in accordance with Irish timing) will be as follows:
A Walsh (Irish) v M Traore (France) at 71kg weight, scheduled for 10.32am
G Walsh (Irish) v L Hamori (Hungary) at 66kg weight, slated for 4.22pm
J Marley (Irish) v M Bereznicki (Poland) at 92kg weight, planned for 7.32pm.