A group of young Irish boxers come to Buffalo to compete against local boxers and get a taste of Western New York.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — We are celebrating Western New York as our good neighborly city welcomes a group of visitors from the Emerald Isle. A team of 12 boxers and four coaches are in town for the Fight of Buffalo, a gesture of goodwill in the form of a night of boxing tonight at Buffalo Riverworks.
Organizer Paddy Gorman, a former mixed martial artist and Marine, said he's happy the day has finally come. “It's a relief. I haven't had sleep for six months, so just seeing them here and how happy they are and how excited they are to come to Buffalo and compete is really satisfying.”
Run as what amounts to a boxing exchange program, Bridges Beyond Boxing, the program has traveled to Boston and now Buffalo to compete in the ring against local boxers, who are hosted in their homes by local hosts, much like the Belfast Summer Relief program was.
Gorman added that this is not only an opportunity for the athletes to see other parts of the world, but also to get to know other people from across Ireland: “A lot of these kids are just meeting each other for the first time while they're traveling. They didn't know each other. They come from all walks of life in Ireland and Bridges Beyond Boxing Ireland is giving them the opportunity to travel, experience life and give them a direction. That's what we want for these kids here in Buffalo.”
While they're preparing for the ring and sightseeing, they're also getting help from a good neighboring city. Each fighter is sponsored by a local business. “That helps cover the costs of the whole event, and as a program of Bridges Beyond Boxing Buffalo, we're able to give all of our funds back to charities,” Gorman said. Those charities include the Old First Ward Community Center, South Buffalo Community Table and the Buffalo Animal Shelter. It also pays for the expenses of sending a team of Buffalo fighters to Ireland next year.
The event will be held tonight from 6 to 11 p.m. at Buffalo Riverworks. Tickets are $30 a pop and will feature Irish boxers as well as some of the best young boxers from the Buffalo area.
