Sean McGoldrick Wins the 2023 British and Commonwealth Bantamweight Belt.

Newport’s home boy Sean McGoldrick had a momentous night in the Vale Arena in Cardiff on February 10th – winning the British and Commonwealth Bantamweight titles on a majority decision with the judges.

Sean’s hard earned and well deserved victory made him Newport’s first British boxing champion for 40 years – the first fighter from Newport to win a Lonsdale Belt since David ‘Bomber’ Pearce captured the heavyweight crown in September 1983.

To celebrate his achievement, and the achievement of others before him, a mural has been created by Paul Shepherd on the Harlequin roundabout in Newport. The mural depicts David (Bomber) Pierce, Sean McGoldrick, Steve Sims, Johnny Basham, and Dick Richardson.

Sean took up boxing at an early age following his brother into the sport at the St Joseph’s Gym in Newport. His natural abilities saw him take the Gold Medal in the 2010 Welsh National Championships before competing at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi – winning a Gold Medal in the Bantamweight division. Building on his success, Sean went on to become a Bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 before turning professional.

Despite the problems caused by COVID, a change of trainer and a career threatening hand injury – a series of successful professional victories led to a title fight opportunity after defeating Alexander Taylor in October as the final build up to the recent title fight.

Sean’s spartan lifestyle and dedication was rewarded when he was crowned British and Commonwealth Bantam Weight Champion at the Vale Sports Arena in Cardiff when he defeated Scotland’s challenger Scott Allan.