JOHN Paul Hale took the 63.5kg Ulster Elite title as he proved too good for Erne's Anthony Malanaphy, earning a 4-1 nod on finals night in Derry's Guildhall on Thursday.
The Commonwealth Games representative oozed confidence from the off and although Malanaphy was enjoying the odd moment off the back foot, Hale looked in a mean mood and connected with vicious right hands.
Hale was switching stances, landing with the lead hand and backhand as his huge improvements as a boxer over the past 12 months shone through.
Credit to Malanaphy who stuck to his gameplan and managed to get through with shots including chopping right early in the third, but the Star ABC man was the boss and his scoring shots were more plentiful as he triumphed on four of the five cards.
"I have been fighting European medallists and higher level boys, plus it's my first time fighting at home in a while, so I wanted to put on a show," he said after.
"At the Commonwealths, I wasn't at my best weight and wasn't the biggest 63, but I've built into it. I'm ready for the Irish Elites so the hard work starts now."
It was double delight for the North Belfast club as a thrilling 60kg final went the way of Lee McKee as a big final round saw him pip Holy Trinity's Teo Alin on a 3-2 split.
McKee appeared to make the better start, but Alin began to find his timing with both men letting their hands go.
There was no let-up in the pace through the second round with jabs almost neglected as they looked to find a home for the right, but Cookstown native Alin was just having a little more joy as McKee was finding it hard to time his shots.
That changed a little in the third with the Star ABC man landing flush with the right hand on several occasions and appeared to finish the stronger and that was the case as he earned the nod to spark celebrations on the North Belfast corner.
"He caught me with a good right hand and I knew I had to get him one back," said McKee afterwards.
"I knew I needed to throw more punches (in the third round) instead of singles, so I stuck to the plan.
"I've entered these championships two times in a row and been beaten in semi-finals twice, but I knuckled down and tonight proved that hard work pays off."
Just posted a photo @ Guildhall, Derry https://t.co/Z58aEFRX0p
— @starboxingclub1937 (@starboxingclub) December 16, 2022
Holy Trinity had a mixed night with Clepson Dos Santos defeated by Derry man Blane Dobbins in the final contest of the night.
The 51kg thriller saw the St Joseph's southpaw finish strong and forced a count in the final round, his five years out of the ring seeming to matter little in a stunning performance.
There was better news for Barry McReynolds who took the 67kg title with a 3-2 split win over Cahir Gormley of Illies.
Barry McReynolds celebrates
Gormley had a significant height and reach advantage, opening off a long jab, but McReynolds was not deterred, working his way inside with shots to the body and exploding with the left upstairs.
The Holy Trinity man was going to take shots on the way in, but the end of the first had closed the gap and now his right was scoring.
McReynolds continued to march forward in the second and had meat on his punches, even finding a home for the jab and this trend continued in the third.
Gormley managed to find a response but the body language at the final bell told its own story with McReynolds the happier of the pair and with good reason as he claimed the title.
"Three years and that's my first fight back so I felt great," said McReynolds whose sabbatical was due to him undertaking an apprenticeship.
"I was always ticking over in the gym and have been since I've been a kid - it's all I know, so I would train even if I wasn't fighting.
"Every fight you are nervous, but if I hadn't been in the gym I would have had a lot more nerves.
"The left hook is my money shot. he's a long reach and I was trying to get on the inside and even sometimes I was out-jabbing him, but my first fight back a win was always going to be a bonus."
His Holy Trinity clubmate Jon McConnell put past disappointments behind him to land the 71kg title with a unanimous decision verdict win against Eoghan Quinn of St John's.
Jon McConnell can't hie his delight
The 5-0 decision didn't tell the full tale as this was a gripping battle with both men digging in and trading throughout, but the better work came from the Belfast man.
Quinn made a good start, but McConnell began to work out the Swatragh southpaw and landed some solid counters in what was a very competitive opener.
Both men continued to trade heavy shots in a fight that was developing into a battle of wills and was very much all to play for heading into the final round.
The toe-to-toe battle continued, but McConnell underlined this performance with three right hands in the dying seconds to seal a magnificent win.
"After last week (semi-final) the fitness was flying and I was super confident," said McConnell.
"That's the sixth time we fought, so I knew he was tough and an awkward southpaw. But I knew I just had to be sharp and put the pressure on.
"This is just a stepping-stone. I've four weeks until the Irish Elites to get onto the Olympic (qualifiers) team and this is part of the preparation. That's the biggest night in Irish amateur boxing and I know it will be a tough weight. I missed out on the Ulster and Irish Elites last year, but now I've won Ulster so it's time to do the double."
Carly McNaul retained her Ulster Elite 52kg title at the expense of Commonwealth Games' team-mate Nicole Clyde, but was made to work for it.
Clyde, boxing as a southpaw, was first to land and was a bundle of energy, bouncing on her toes and letting the hands go.
McNaul was the aggressor, marching forward and having joy with the right, but was also being countered by the Antrim fight who was 48kg champion last year.
The South Belfast woman upped the pace in the second and began to close the gap, landing with flurries as her greater strength at the weight perhaps told.
It seemed all to play for heading into the third and McNaul drove Clyde back and seemed to be making a dent, winning the round that ultimately tipped the balance her way as she claimed a 3-2 split win.
"It was very scrappy, but I got the win and that's the main thing," the victor from the Ormeau Road club.
"I wasn't happy with my performance, couldn't get anything off but I had over 25 fights this year. I started with winning an Ulster title and thankfully I finished with winning another, so onto next year as it's a big year ahead for me. It's better to win badly than lose."
Carly McNaul got the nod over Nicole Clyde 
At 86kg, Stephen Broadhurst picked himself off the deck to stop Conor Maguire from the Dockers club in the second round of a thrilling contest.
The super-heavyweight title went to Gilford's Willie John McCartan who got the nod on all five cards against Cavan's Thomas Maughan, while the first of the night's nine finals saw Sean Donaghy score a unanimous decision win over Rory Kinney at 80kg.
Ulster Elite finals
51kg: Blaine Dobbins (St Joseph’s) 5-0 Clepson Dos Santos (Holy Trinity)
52kg: Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) 3-2 Nicole Clyde (Antrim)
60kg: Lee McKee (Star) 3-2 Teo Alin (Holy Trinity)
63.5kg: John Paul Hale (Star) 4-1 Anthony Malanaphy (Erne)
67kg: Cahir Gormley (Illies) 2-3 Barry McReynolds (Holy Trinity)
71kg: Eoghan Quinn (St John’s) 0-5 Jon McConnell (Holy Trinity)
80kg: Sean Donaghy (St Canice’s) 5-0 Rory Kinney (Scorpion)
86kg: Conor Maguire (Dockers) loss RSC2 v Stephen Broadhurst (St Bronagh’s)
92+kg: Willie John McCartan (Gilford) 5-0 Thomas Maughan (Cavan)
Walkovers: Padraig Downey (St John Bosco, 48kg); Nicole Meli (Immaculata, 54kg); Dylan Eagleson (St Paul’s, 54kg); Paddy McShane (Letterkenny, 57kg); Tiarnan Mayse (Two Castles, 75kg); Tom Seaton (Ormeau Road, 92kg)
