Belfast Telegraph
·09 Aug 2026
Irish boxing is in a really strong place despite the shock defeat of the country’s supposed next superstar
Carl Frampton argues that Irish boxing remains in a strong position despite Pierce O’Leary’s unexpected defeat by Mark Chamberlain in Dublin. O’Leary had been widely favored and viewed as a potential successor to Katie Taylor as Ireland’s next major boxing star, but Chamberlain delivered an excellent performance built on confidence, distance, composure and discipline. The result is framed as a setback for O’Leary rather than evidence of wider weakness in Irish boxing.