Pictured at Dublin Airport on their return from the Inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool last month were Team Ireland boxers, Patsy Joyce (bronze); Aoife O'Rourke (gold) and Gráinne Walsh (bronze). All three boxers have been named in the first ever World Boxing rankings published this week.

Four Midlands boxers feature in World Boxing rankings

Published: Mon 20 Oct 2025, 4:56 PM

Last updated: Mon 20 Oct 2025, 6:13 PM

Four Team Ireland boxers from the wider Midlands area have cause for celebration this week after they were named in the first ever World Boxing rankings.

Roscommon's Aoife O'Rourke, who is the current 75kg World champion and a two-time Olympian, is the top ranked boxer in her category, having clocked up 1,500 points while her sister, Lisa, is ranked 6th in the world in the 70kg division with 300 points.

Offaly's Gráinne Walsh, who won a bronze medal at the Inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool last month and also represented Ireland at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is ranked 6th in the world in her 65kg weight division, having clocked up 600 points. Also on 600 points and sitting in 6th place in the 55kg weight division is world bronze medalist from Mullingar, Patsy Joyce.

The fifth Team Ireland boxer to receive World Boxing ranking status is Dublin-based heavyweight Olympian, Jack Marley, who has been ranked in 6th place in the 92kg weight division with 375 points.

The World Boxing rankings will be used to determine seedings at World Boxing’s major Elite competitions, including the World Boxing Championships, Continental Boxing Championships, Multi-Sport Games, World Boxing Cup Finals and others.

IABA was ratified as a member of World Boxing in May of this year, following a decision by clubs in April to affiliate to the International Federation which will operate boxing at the Olympic Games, all qualifying tournaments, the Youth Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games.