Longford's Luke Byrne aiming to get his pro boxing dreams back on track

28 Jul 2024

Irish boxer Luke Byrne from Longford will be stepping back into the boxing ring next month with the goal of becoming a heavyweight champion. The 27-year-old is determined to make a name for himself in the professional boxing world and winning this upcoming title fight in Belfast would greatly improve his chances of achieving that dream.

Luke will be facing off against Belfast boxer Fra Lavery at the Clayton Hotel in Belfast on August 17th. The bout will determine the Cornerstone Boxing Heavyweight champion. "I haven't fought since March 2023 in London against Dragos Adrian. Unfortunately, I lost that fight by decision. I'm grateful for this new opportunity," Luke stated.

3,500 individuals showed up to watch the fight, which was organized by Quest Boxing at a location in Brentwood. "The promoters were looking for someone to fight the champion and I was chosen. I am really excited for this opportunity," Luke mentioned. The boxing event in Belfast that night will be jam-packed with 18 matches, with Luke's fight being the main highlight. "Even though my opponent is 34 years old, which is seven years older than me, heavyweight boxers can continue their careers for a longer time since there is less strain on their bodies at that weight," he explained.

"If I emerge victorious in this fight, I plan to transition to the cruiserweight division. My goal is to excel as a pro in the light heavyweight category, where there are a handful of skilled boxers in Ireland. Joe Ward from Moate, a three-time European champion and 15-time Irish champion, is one of them. I have had the opportunity to spar with Joe and can attest to his impressive boxing skills," he mentioned.

Luke is juggling his boxing aspirations with a demanding job as the manager of Elvery's in Longford town. He trains extensively, working out five times a week in his home gym and sparring at different boxing clubs. So far in his amateur career, he has competed in three fights, winning two and losing one.

Luke has faced some difficulties recently as he works towards achieving his career goal. He shared, "I contracted Covid and then experienced Long Covid. I also suffered an injury to my hip flexor. On top of that, my friend Bryonny Sainsbury passed away."

"I was not in good shape. It's more difficult to get in shape than to maintain it. But I've been working out intensely for the last seven weeks. I have three more weeks of tough training before I ease off a bit before the fight," he said. One of Luke's long-standing challenges has been managing his diabetes. He is actually one of just three diabetic fighters in the world.

"I live in two different places, Bolton and Philadelphia. I need to use insulin because of my health condition. When I am working out intensively, I need to monitor my blood sugar levels carefully. I found out about my illness when I was a teenager. It was a long process to get my boxing license from the IABA (Irish Amateur Boxing Association)," Luke explained.

Luke chose the nickname "sugar free" as a nod to his diabetic condition. His passion for boxing runs in the family, with his father Simon being a successful amateur fighter. Luke hails from Longford Town and studied Sports Science & Exercise Physiology at Athlone Institute of Technology after attending Moyne Community School.

Luke is eager to pursue a career in professional boxing because he is concerned about what he sees as "dishonesty in amateur boxing." He personally experienced unfair decisions and believes that incidents like Michael Conlon's controversial loss at the 2016 Olympics highlight the problems in the sport. Interested viewers can check out the fight on Luke's Instagram profile, where he goes by the handle @Sugarfreeboxer.