Boxing Ireland has named a 20-strong squad featuring Olympians, World and European medallists, and reigning Elite champions for the 77th Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Europe’s oldest multi-nations boxing tournament gets underway on February 23rd and is widely regarded as one of the most demanding tests outside of major championships. The event consistently attracts leading boxing nations from across five continents. The 2025 edition featured teams from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China, alongside Europe’s top elite boxers. This year’s competition comes just six weeks before the first of three World Boxing Cups, which begin on April 20th.
Team Ireland includes 2025 World bronze medallist Patsy Joyce (55kg), Olympian Grainne Walsh (65kg), double Olympian Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Jude Gallagher (60kg), Dean Clancy (65kg) and Jack Marley (90kg).
Also selected are European medallists Louis Rooney (50kg), Caitlin Fryers (51kg), Niamh Fay (57kg) and Evelyn Igharo (70kg), alongside a blend of Elite champions and silver medallists from the recent 2026 Elite Championships.
The squad represents clubs across nine counties: Antrim (4), Dublin (8), Galway (1), Leitrim (1), Louth (1), Tyrone (1), Waterford (1), Westmeath (2) and Wicklow (1), underlining the depth and geographic spread of high-performance boxing across the island.
Interim High Performance Head Coach Damian Kennedy will lead the team in Bulgaria and believes the tournament provides a vital benchmark ahead of a busy international schedule.
“Strandja is one of the most demanding competitions our boxers will face outside of major championships, as it consistently attracts the top boxing nations from around the world,” said Kennedy. “This team has trained exceptionally well, showing readiness, discipline, and the ability to perform under pressure in last week’s test match series with France. We want them to use this tournament to measure themselves against the very best in the world.”
High Performance Director Jon Mackey highlighted the role the tournament will play in the ongoing selection process.
“Our team are looking exceptionally sharp and that’s a credit to Damian Kennedy and the coaching team,” said Mackey. “This tournament is part of the second stage of our selection process which began with the 2026 Elite Championships just last month. Team Ireland includes both Elite champions and silver medallists in a team that blends proven championship experience with emerging talent.”
With the World Boxing Cup series looming and qualification pathways intensifying, Strandja offers Irish fighters a critical opportunity to test themselves against global opposition and build momentum in the early stages of the 2026 cycle.
It is expected that the Bulgarian Boxing Federation will stream the tournament on YouTube and we will track it in our comprehensive Daily Round Up of Sport on TV and Streaming
Image Credit: Boxing Ireland, Sport for Business
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