A Derry boxer has won his first professional fight - in Florida.
John Cooley (29), from The Meadows area of the city, recorded an impressive unanimous points victory over Puerto Rican Roberto Carlos Martinez.
The former member of St Joseph’s Amateur Boxing Club floored his opponent in the third round after climbing back into the ring after a three year absence.
He has turned pro after promising amateur career in which he won Ulster Juvenile and Youth titles.
A two time Ulster Senior finalist, and Irish Senior semi-finalist, he also boxed for Ireland internationally on numerous occasions sharing a ring with high calibre opponents such as John Joe Joyce, David Anthony Joyce and Eric Donovan.
He went to America with the intention of expanding his horizons both personally and professionally, and while his boxing career was soon put on hold, the itch never went away.
“There was nothing happening back home,” he explained.
“There was no work so I just decided to do something so I came out to America just to see how it would go.
“I didn’t want to keep just sitting about doing nothing. I wanted to do something.
“I always wanted to start training again. I met Jim McLaughlin, a Hall of Fame coach, who was retired, but he wanted to come out of retirement to help me train.
“I was only training for three months before I decided that I wanted to go pro just to see what would happen.”
He said he was delighted at how his first professional fight went.
He said: “I felt really good considering I had been out for so long.
“I had great training; my team have been unbelievable getting me into great condition and I can’t thank them enough; they have been amazing.
“I was nervous yeah but I had to get over that. It had been so long since I had been in the ring competitively, but honestly, once I swing the first punch, the nerves left me completely.
“Even my coach was saying that he had never seen me so calm. I actually fell asleep in the changing rooms beforehand.”
He concluded: “So I was calm, and I was able to stay in control as a result.”
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