WHEN the final bell rang prematurely at the Falls Park back August 2019, Paddy Gallagher was fully confident he was about to have his hand raised to confirm him as the new British and Commonwealth welterweight champion.
His opponent Chris Jenkins was unable to continue in the ninth round due to a cut that was ruled accidental, meaning the result would go to the cards and not be deemed a TKO when it transpired it actually should have been given the injury was the result of a punch and not a head clash.
Still, Gallagher had dropped the Welshman in the sixth and most observers expected to him to be ahead on the cards, but not so.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for the affable Lenadoon man and little did he know at the time, but would prove to be his last time in the ring as he has since reluctantly hung up the gloves.
In a recent interview, Gallagher opened up on his battle against depression and admits it has been a tough few years since that night in the Falls Park.
Boxing is in his blood and while many will say they will never be too far away from the noble art, in Gallagher’s case, it is fully accurate because on Saturday, he and his business partner Conal Hall opened the doors to their new venue, ‘Lab Fitness’ that is next door to Gallagher’s old amateur club, Gleann ABC at the Work West Complex off the Glen Road.
As I arrived at Lab Fitness, the pair plus an army of helpers including newest coaching recruit Gary Arthurs were still putting the final touches to the gym with the official opening just hours away.
Gallagher would still like to be preparing for big fights and living the life of a boxer, but his fighting days seem to now be behind him, so the plan is to help the next generation on their journey, while also providing an outlet for the community to get fit and healthy, both mentally and physically.
“After boxing, people were asking me if I was retired and every time I said ‘yeah’, I was thinking ’ah, but I don’t want to be’,” said the 2010 Commonwealth Games’ gold medal winner.
“Unfortunately, that’s the way it is and the reason why I haven’t come out and said it wholeheartedly. Never say never, but more than likely (I am).
“Speaking to people who boxed have told me it (desire) will never go away and just to get used to it.
“We want to help the next generation so I’m starting with the kids in Gleann from eight upwards with boxing and then starting the Gleann boxers on strength and conditioning.
“I’m also working with the IABA now in the schools and the High Performance through a Coach Development Course, so hopefully down the line I can be a coach with the Ireland team.
“I’m changing my role as I’m not fighting anymore, but I want to be involved now as a coach.
“I had a good career with ups and downs, but who hasn’t? I made the most of it, gained life experiences, boxing experiences and made friends for life travelling the world.”
Conal, Gary and Paddy
From little acorns, mighty oaks grow and like ‘Lab Fitness’ came about when Gallagher converted a small room into a makeshift gym, but soon it became apparent that a bigger space was required and so the work began in transforming the unit at Work West.
The venture came about during lockdown as Gallagher and Hall ran outdoor fitness classes to help people get active and after proving such a hit, prompted the pair to find a premises to open their own gym.
“It came from the winter lockdown (last year) when people’s mental health was taking a hit being stuck indoors,” Hall explained.
“We started free of charge service called the ‘Uncomfortable Challenges’ that was just to get people out of their comfort zones and out into the sea for the cold dips, up into the mountain and from that it expanded and grew into The Lab.
“It will be small group personal training and then once we can, get outdoor challenges to help people level up physically and mentally. That’s where we are now and the demand for membership is why it has grown into this.”
Gallagher’s career in boxing at the highest level has given him the experience of working with top-class coaches and learning different techniques, not just in terms of skills, but also from a strength and conditioning angle where being strong at the weight was crucial.
He aims to translate those lessons into skills he can bring to his new venture, but instead of resting on his laurels, plans to continue his education in order to help others.
“I have experience in enough areas from boxing and learning from top-level coaches around the world in strength and conditioning,” he stressed.
“I want to carry that in but I’m always looking to do new courses in strength and conditioning and PT - things that will help me and progress and that I can use to help people in the community.”
