DUNMORE – At the same venue where he was first introduced to Northeast Pennsylvania boxing fans, Cahir Gormley announced the beginning of the next phase of his career.
At a press conference at the Holiday Inn Scranton East, the native of Tamnaherin, Derry, Ireland along with promoter Doug Long and trainer Gene Reed announced Gormley will turn professional with a debut planned for March.
Gormley made his first trip from Ireland to Dunmore in November 2024 and earned a win at Team Ireland Returns 3. He returned in June at the Gloves and Glory Flag Day Showdown, picked up another win and stayed in the United States, fighting several more times. In his last amateur bout, Gormley scored a one-punch, second-round knockout at Team Ireland Returns 4 on Nov. 1 in Dunmore, which convinced he and his team that the time is right to turn professional.
“I feel like everything that I wanted to happen happened,” Gormley said. “I feel like this was all lined up. I feel like everything went like it should have. Having the knockout last Saturday night I feel like it was the perfect way to end my amateur career. I have three knockouts in the last year in amateur boxing which you don’t hear about much so I feel like everything set a tone for me to turn pro and I feel like it’s the perfect time.”
Gormley, 21, began boxing when he was 10 years old and earned the Ulster Senior championship at 19 Irish Senior championship at 20. He has more than 100 career amateur bouts.
“I had a long amateur career,” he said. “It’s been a roller coaster. It hasn’t been all highs along the way. I achieved a lot as a really young kid and then at 14 I kind of stalled out but then it took off again once I turned senior.”
When Gormley returned to the states in June, he began training steadily at Scranton’s Irish Boxing Club with Reed.
“The Irish Boxing Club has been my new home,” Gormley said. “From the start, all the guys have been so welcoming. We’re all trying to get better as boxers and as people. We all train hard every day. Every day we’re there. No egos, just straight hard work. That’s a credit to Gene. He keeps us all in line and we all want the best out of each other.
“Since I came here from the start, Doug and Gene have been like family. It hasn’t been like coach and promoter, it’s been like family. I really trust them. I feel like everything is going to go perfectly. There’s going to be bumps in my pro career but I feel like I’ve got the right people around me. I enjoy what I’m doing and I want to get the most out of the opportunities.”
Reed has been a trainer at Irish Boxing Club for 40 years, and was also an accomplished professional boxer, compiling a record of 24-8-2 and earning the International Boxing Council lightweight championship.
“I didn’t know him when he first arrived, but I watched the way he fought, the way he kept his composure, the way he used his reach and it just kind of went from there,” Reed said. “He’s young and he reminds me of me when I was that age because he lives it, sleeps it, eats it, breathes it. He’s obsessed with it and you have to be. He’s committed and he seems to understand that you have a short window of opportunity for a boxing career and lets do it and do it right. I have a lot of hope for things in the future that will come for him and I’m honored to be along for the ride.”