Irish boxer Danny Quinn, who has called Grande Prairie home for the last three years, laid claim to the Alberta Golden Gloves boxing tournament over the weekend. Quinn is technically considered a rookie, because his Irish citizenship doesn’t let him compete in most sanctioned competitions. He has plenty of experience though, with roughly 90 fights under his belt. Quinn says since leaving Ireland he hasn’t had a chance to compete, so it felt great to get back in the ring and put his training to work.
“So going into the fight I know how hard I train, when you’re living that lifestyle, you’re kind of confident, you believe in yourself, you’re making all the right choices, and to be honest, I knew going that if I fight to the best of my ability, then I’m going to be a hard man to beat. ”
In his first bout of the tournament Quinn beat reigning provincial champ Tanner Wilson, and took the tournament title after beating Calgary’s Jordan McNaughton the next day.
Quinn says while he is hoping hoping to enter more tournaments once he has his permanent residency, he doesn’t expect to ever reach the national level. However, Quinn says he has high hopes for another Grande Prairie boxer, Thomas Tordoff.
“He only has like six or seven fights, and I’ve noticed him get better and better. And he won the Golden Gloves novice, he won that the first day, and obviously this year that motivates me. I was so happy to see him do well.”
Quinn’s coach Raphael Bergman says the Golden Gloves title coming back to Grande Prairie is especially significant, as it was 100 years ago in 1914 that the first boxing match was held in the city.
Photo courtesy Champion Gym