West Belfast boxer targeting Commonwealth glory after returning to the ring

Eireann Nugent was always destined to become a boxer.

Her granddad Gerry Nugent, affectionately known as Nugget, has trained many champions at Immaculata ABC while her father dabbled in the professional ranks.

Eireann first set foot in the ring at her grandad’s club when was 13 years old.

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The West Belfast fighter drifted away from the sport but after an 11 year absence Nugent has returned to the ring, inspired to make a comeback by watching old sparring partner Kellie Harrington win a gold medal for Ireland at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics.

Nugent’s decision to return to the noble art has been fully vindicated after she was selected to represent Team NI at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

“My grandad is an amazing coach and he has created some champions throughout his days, and I’m glad to be back in the club doing what I love doing and making him proud,” Nugent said.

“Grandad would have coached the likes of Martin Lindsay who won Ulster and Irish senior titles and the British Featherweight title as a professional, Kevin O’Hara (won three Ulster senior titles), Marty Rogan and the list goes on really.”

Rogan won the first ever Prizefighter, held the Commonwealth title and lost a fight for the Irish title against current world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

“My daddy Ciaran Healy used to box in the Immaculata and then he turned professional at 29 years old and he fought some cracking boxers," Nugent said.

"Fighters like Andy Lee (former WBO World middleweight champion) and James DeGale (former Olympic gold medalist), and he won a Celtic title as well.”

Nugent had just become a teenager when set first walked into Nugget’s gym.

“I started