Mayo boxers in the ring at 2025 National Elite Championships

Next week, almost 100 boxers will contest the 2025 National Elite Championships, including Paris Olympians, a world champion, a reigning European elite champion, and European Under 23 champions.

Among those champions is Shannon Sweeney of St. Anne's Boxing Club, Westport, who captured a gold medal for Ireland in the light-flyweight division at the European Championships earlier this year.

Also in the ring next week will be Castlebar Boxing Club's Bethany Doocey, the reigning national Under 22 champion at 75kg level. Bethany has numerous national boxing titles to her name.

The elites is the marquee tournament of the domestic boxing calendar and showcases the athletes who have won 39 medals at benchmark international competitions over the last two years, as well as the international boxing stars of the future.

Two-time Olympian Michaela Walsh (57kg) will be vying for a record-breaking 12 national elite title. She and two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington jointly broke the previous record of 11 at the 2024 championships.

This is the first domestic championships at which women will box without headguards.

In total there are 11 Connacht boxers across the 25 available weights, joining 54 from Leinster, 10 from Munster and 19 from Ulster.

The championships will open on Tuesday evening next (November 12) with the meeting of Cabra’s Cian Cramer and Mourne Golden Gloves’ Jamie Long in a 67kg preliminary bout. Boxing will continue all week at the National Stadium in Dublin through to the finals on Friday, November 15, beginning at 5 p.m.