Ballyforan kickboxer Gary McDonnell pictured with his dog, Ruby, after his WAKO pro world title win in Dublin on May 11.

South Roscommon kickboxer's landmark world title win

Adrian Cusack

Published: Fri 17 May 2024, 5:28 PM

South Roscommon kickboxer Gary McDonnell scaled a new summit in his chosen sport last weekend, when he became the first Irish person to win a WAKO professional kickboxing world title.

The 31-year-old Ballyforan man came out on the right side of a gruelling contest against Norway's T Henry MacPherson in Clontarf, Dublin, on Saturday last, May 11.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Gary said it was "the hardest fight I've ever had," adding that the achievement of becoming a 62kg WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations) world champion still hadn't sunk in.

"It's still a bit of a 'pinch me' moment," he said. "It has never been done before. There were three Irish WAKO world champions in the amateurs, but I'm the first Irish WAKO professional world champion in ring sport.

"I had so much support on the night, with people from back home coming up and getting the opportunity to watch me fight.

"I rarely get the chance to fight in Ireland, I'm always travelling abroad for my fights, so to have a night like that at home was a really special one for me."

Gary celebrating in the ring after his world title win.

The vociferous support he received from family and friends "definitely came in handy during the later rounds," he said.

Gary had faced MacPherson on five other occasions previously, dating back to 2016. Both kickboxers had beaten each other in the past, so it was a contest that was always likely to go down to the wire.

"It was a close enough fight, but I scored a knockdown in the seventh round, and the bell saved him," said Gary.

"I tried to go for the kill in the next round, and kind of tired myself out. There were two rounds then when he came back, but I got a third or fourth wind, in round 12, and nearly finished it again."

While he was thrilled to get the win, the local man didn't emerge from the battle unscathed.

"I have bruising on my ankles and legs. I fractured two fingers, fractured a bone in my wrist, and got seven stitches in my eye, after getting cut from a clash of heads. So it was a tough one!" he said.

Pictured in the ring in Clontarf on May 11 were: Roy Baker (WAKO World President), Irish kickboxer Damian Darker who defended his European title on the night, Gary McDonnell, and Jon Mackey (Kickboxing Ireland President). (Photo: KO! Magazine).

In 2022, Gary claimed a gold medal in Turkey at the WAKO European Championships. He thought that moment would never be topped, but the win this month managed to surpass it.

"The fact that it happened on home soil was just craziness. I still can't fully get my head around it!" he remarked.

While the injuries mean he will be out of action for a while, Gary 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.

Gary McDonnell with the world title belt which he won after what he described as the hardest fight of his kickboxing career.

Gary is a son of Sharon and Malachy, and brother of Malachy Jr. He paid tribute to his coach, Phelim Halligan of Claremorris Ultimate Kickboxing Club.

"Phelim goes under the radar a lot and doesn't really get enough recognition for the amount of work he's put in to me, especially over the last five months when we got this fight offer.

"He's there every night, watching me spar, and giving me advice, so I want to thank him for all his help and support," said Gary.