Caymanian boxers Brandy Barnes and Hepseba Angel both competed at the Celtic Cup in Ireland over the past weekend.
First up was Barnes, 25, fighting in the Elite category against southpaw Chantelle Robinson. That fight ended in a loss for the Cayman fighter.
Barnes, a former Caribbean Champion next bout came in the 48kg Senior A Class, where she won over an opponent who had a considerable 18 fight record with National Novice, National Intermediate and National Senior championships to her credit.
Commenting in a press release issued by the Cayman Islands Boxing Association, Barnes said, “it was the first time having to fight twice, back-to-back, in a tournament so I’m pleased to have gained the experience.”
Angel’s gained a silver medal for the Cayman Islands in what was her first international bout. She stepped up from the Novice class to fight in the Elite class, where she met her match.
“Hepseba is a complete novice with no international experience, so just to box in the
competition was a big plus, despite having only three fights,” Coach Liam Brereton commented. “For boxers to improve, they need proper sparring and competition like the Celtic Box Cup, where they can fight boxers at their level and above.”
The boxers continue to set their sights on next year’s Commonwealth Games and
this weekends tournament “was a tremendous opportunity” for Barnes and Angel to
increase their international boxing experience.
Cay 3 Sports 