Leitrim brothers join top professional ranks

Leitrim brothers join top professional ranks

13 February 2019

A BAND of Liatroim brothers have entered the ranks of professional karate.

Gerard, Barry and Conor McAnulty, who have dominated the International Karate Union World Championships in recent years, have become the first Irish fighters to join the professional ranks and are getting ready for their first bouts.

Gerard and Barry head off to Poland in the next few weeks to make their professional debuts with younger brother Conor hoping to follow suit in the not too distant future.

Gerard takes on English opponent Luke Corbett in his bout and can’t wait to get going.

“We all are very excited about turning professional and hopefully, our initial bouts will lead us to appearing on the next big card at Las Vegas,” he enthused.

“I am due to get married in the next few months and I hope that I will be able to celebrate our honeymoon in Sin City.

“Barry also has a tough fight coming up in Poland, but he is an explosive fighter and we believe he can get revenge from our amateur days over David Carter, a former WKU world champion,” Gerard added.

“We are training extremely hard and intend grabbing this opportunity with both hands. When the going gets tough I just remind myself of that date in Vegas.”