Claremorris Club Kickboxer is first Irish man winning professional World title

Gary McDonnell (31) from Claremorris Ultimate Kickboxing Club in Mayo is the first ever Irish person to win a WAKO professional kickboxing world title. 

“My phone was blowing up, I had over 200 messages just after the fight, people see the work I'm putting in. I do not drink, I do not smoke. So many came to Dublin to watch and support me. My friends put up posters in the village” described Gary who is now enjoying time off and recovering from a gruelling bout in Clontarf on Saturday last, May 11.

He had to dig deep against worthy opponent Henry MacPherson from Norway. Both kickboxers had beaten each other on five occasions in the past eight years, so it was a title fight that both were capable of winning. It was Gary’s first 12 round fight and he had to fight five of them with broken bones:

"MacPherson is a slick and skillful fighter. It was going back and forth the first seven rounds, and then I got him on a head kick, and thought 'I've got him'. The bell saved him and in the next round I went after him but tried myself out. I fractured my right hand and two fingers in one of my punches. I could feel the pain, but kind of managed to forget about it. It's the adrenaline." 

Gary paid tribute to his parents Sharon and Malachy who have always supported him and are his number one fans. He also gave thanks to his coach from Claremorris Ultimate Kickboxing Club, Phelim Halligan, who is a well known as he was named Federation of Irish Sport's 2023 Volunteer in Sport for county Mayo.

“I have so many people to thank, this is 15 years in the making, all my sparring partners over the years to all my team mates at every training session. Thank you so much to Damian Darker for making this fight happen" Gary said after the fight. 

Gary is on a break for the next few weeks, but is looking ahead to a training camp in Finland in late July and then the European championships which will be coming around again in November.

Pics: KO Media