Irish boxing talent peppers top 20 European rankings

Nine Irish boxers are in top 20 positions in the official European men's and women's rankings for December.

Reigning World and European champ Katie Taylor (St Fergal's, Bray) is at number one in the lightweight division, while her Irish team mate Alanna Murphy (Eastside, Belfast) is ranked 7th in the light welterweight category.

Taylor also occupies number one spot in the world rankings.

The St Michael's Athy quartet of Eric Donovan (featherweight) David Oliver Joyce (bantamweight) Roy Sheehan (welterweight) and John Joe Joyce (lightweight) are ranked at 12th,18th,18th and 20th, respectively.

Middleweights Darren O'Neill from the Paulstown club in Kilkenny, and Darren Sutherland

(St Saviours OBA Dublin) are both ranked at 7th and 8th in the 75Kg division for the second month running.

Both O'Neill and Sutherland could meet in the national senior championships which begin at the Stadium in Dublin on January 17th 2007. If the duo do clash fireworks are predicted.

European bronze medallist Ken Egan, from the Neilstown club in Dublin, is ranked at 4th in the light heavyweight section.