An array of boxing personalities, stars from other sports and various walks of life will be in attendance tomorrow night to welcome Donegal boxing ace Jason Quigley home with his first professional title.
A homecoming reception in honour of Quigley, the NABF middleweight champion, will take place at the Finn Valley Centre tomorrow evening at 8pm.
An open invite is extended and Peter O’Donnell, the President of the Donegal Boxing Board, has urged the people of Donegal to come out in force.
“Jason is a very proud Donegal man and is a fantastic ambassador for the county – it would be fantastic to see a huge turnout to welcome him home,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“Jason is carrying the Donegal flag everywhere he goes and is a fine example for the young people in Donegal and beyond. He carries himself so well and always refers to Donegal – Jason Quigley never forgot where he came from.”
Quigley is unbeaten in 13 fights since turning professional in early 2014. In March, he won his first pro title when he defeated Glen Tapia to claim the NABF middleweight strap at Fantasy Springs, Indio, and the belt – the first pro title won by a Donegal boxer – will be paraded by the Ballybofey man tomorrow evening.
Former European and British super-lightweight champion Paul McCloskey from Dungiven will be in attendance, as will 1972 Olympian Charlie Nash from Derry, the former holder of British and European lightweight belts.
Henry Coyle from Geesala, a currently active pro who won the WBF light middleweight title in 2011 having been Irish amateur welterweight champion in 2003, will travel up from Mayo.
Recently-turned pro Sean McGlinchey – a bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games – has committed to attending with his coach Glenn McCrory, a former IBF cruiserweight world champion.
The Chairman of Finn Valley AC Patsy McGonagle, who is the Irish Athletics team manager and a close ally of Quigley, is helping to host the event, while Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development Joe McHugh – a former welterweight boxer with the Carrigart club – has rearranged some travel plans to make the engagement.
A wide variety of people will be in attendance, including some of Donegal’s top sports stars, and O’Donnell says that Quigley deserves the acclaim of the county.
He said: “Jason is a very down to earth young man, who is destined to become a World champion. No matter what titles he goes on to win, this will always be the first professional title he’ll have won so it is important that we, as Donegal people, come out to acknowledge the work he is doing and to mark the great achievement that this is.”
