By Daniel Noble
ENLER Boxing Club’s Zac Foster been crowned U-17 Irish champion after
beating title favourite Harry Reddington at the National Cadets Championship in Dublin.
Cherry Orchard Boxing Club prospect Reddington entered the competition as the Irish number one and UK number two, but he has now been dethroned by the Newtownards native.
Despite fighting an opponent who is a year older than him, 15 year-old Zac secured a 3-2 split decision to become Enler’s first-ever national champion, continuing his winning streak after claiming the Manchester Box Cup and Monkstown Box Cup titles.
Although he entered the bout as the underdog, it was Zac who reigned supreme, and Enler coach Ben Lyttle has explained how the victory has come as a result of a well-executed plan.
“With us having a good idea of the style of boxer he was up against, we worked with Zac in the gym to develop a gameplan over the past six weeks,” he said.
“Knowing he was going to be facing a tricky, stylish southpaw boxer, there was no point trying to outbox him, that was never going to work, so the plan was to apply pressure from the get-go, use loads of movement and get busy with the hands.
“We wanted Zac to take the wind out of his opponent’s sails early on and capitalise on that in the later rounds, which he followed to the letter. His determination and grit is what won him the fight.”
The glory has been coming thick and fast for Enler’s top prospect over the past few months, but national glory has always been on his mind.
“A national title is the one thing I’ve always wanted to achieve since I started boxing. Since I was 11, that was the only goal, and to have achieved it at the age of 15, it just feels unreal,” Zac stated.
“Now, I’m going to use this as preparation for my trip to America with Bridges Beyond Boxing Ireland, it’s a good confidence booster.
“I’m heading away on holiday for a break next week, but I’ll be straight back into training when I get home.”
A national title can be a stepping stone to greatness for many boxers, and Lyttle believes Zac has a big future in front of him.
“He’s been training for the last five years and this was his goal. I don’t even think it has settled in yet that he’s won it and he’s Ireland’s number one,” Lyttle explained.
“There’s thousands of boxers in Ireland, so it’s not an easy feat, and Zac is now number one in Ireland.
To win a national title is amazing, but to do it against somebody of such a high calibre was the icing on the cake, it’s next level.
“He’s put himself in the same bracket as the number one and tworanked boxers in the UK now, so the sky is the limit for Zac. He is definitely going to turn pro at some stage.”
