178 clubs. 10 countries. Three rings. Three days inside Dublin's historic National Stadium.
Three weeks after the Four Nations Championships in Scotland, Southpaw crossed the Irish Sea for the 2026 Monkstown International Box Cup.
By the end of the weekend, 158 pairs of Southpaw boxing socks had been sold — and White, Black, Red and Blue had all sold out.
But for us, the bigger story was the event itself.
Hundreds of fighters, coaches, families and clubs coming together from across Ireland, Britain, Europe and further afield — all under one roof, inside one of the most important venues in Irish boxing.
That is exactly where Southpaw wants to be.
From Ravenscraig to Dublin
In June, Southpaw attended the 2026 Four Nations Boxing Championships at Ravenscraig in Scotland, bringing together nationally selected fighters from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.
We sold 204 pairs of Southpaw boxing socks across the event.
Three weeks later, we arrived at the National Stadium in Dublin for the 12th annual Monkstown International Box Cup.
Another 158 pairs followed.
White sold out.
Black sold out.
Red sold out.
Blue sold out.
Across the two events:
362 pairs of Southpaw boxing socks sold in three weeks.
We are proud of that — but even more importantly, it tells us that fighters are discovering the product, trying it for themselves and taking Southpaw back into their gyms and clubs.
That is how we want this brand to grow.
Through boxing.
Read the full Four Nations story: Inside the 2026 Four Nations Boxing Championships — Southpaw on the Ground →
What Is the Monkstown International Box Cup?
The Monkstown International Box Cup is organised by Monkstown Dublin Boxing Club, with support from Boxing Ireland / IABA and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council.
Now in its 12th year, the tournament has grown enormously since its early editions and is firmly established as a major international fixture for developing amateur fighters.
The 2026 edition brought together 178 boxing clubs from 10 countries:
Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Finland, USA, Canada, India, Germany and France.
Competition ran across three rings throughout the event, covering Schools, Junior, Youth and U19 categories.
Skills bouts, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals all took place across the three days.
For young fighters, this is the kind of tournament that matters.
Different styles. Different countries. Different clubs.
And the opportunity to test yourself against opposition you may never otherwise meet.
Inside Dublin's National Stadium — the Home of Irish Amateur Boxing
The setting made it even more special.
The National Stadium in Dublin has been at the heart of Irish boxing for generations.
For fighters, coaches and families walking through its doors, the building carries history.
Irish Olympians, international champions and countless amateur boxers have competed there.
For Southpaw, having a presence inside that environment meant far more than simply setting up a stand.
We had the opportunity to spend three days talking directly with the people the brand was created for.
Young fighters.
Experienced coaches.
Parents travelling around the country supporting their children.
Clubs investing countless hours into developing the next generation.
Those conversations are invaluable.
They help us understand what fighters like, what they need, what works and what we can continue improving as Southpaw grows.
178 Clubs. 10 Countries. One Boxing Community.
One of the best things about Monkstown is the variety of boxing represented.
There were clubs from across Ireland alongside teams travelling from Britain, mainland Europe, North America and India.
Despite all the different accents, clubs and countries, the atmosphere felt familiar.
Because boxing communities everywhere have a lot in common.
Coaches giving their time.
Families travelling hundreds of miles.
Young fighters nervous before a bout and smiling afterwards.
Clubmates warming each other up backstage.
People from completely different places talking boxing as if they have known each other for years.
That is a huge part of what makes this sport special.
And it is one of the reasons events like Monkstown matter.
Some Brilliant Performances
The competition produced plenty of standout moments.
Former WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Bernard Dunne was in attendance and presented the winners’ belts — a brilliant moment for young fighters receiving their awards from someone who had reached the highest levels of the sport.
The tournament’s major awards included:
- Best Female Boxer: Macie O’Connor — Cabra BC
- Best Male Boxer: Terry O’Connor — Chepstow BC
- Overall Most Skillful Boxer: Azbhan “The Flash” Muhammed — Pound4Pound BC, Walsall
- Best Girl in Skills: Honey Blue O’Loughlin — Galway BC
- Best Boy in Skills: Gele Illiev — Rathnew BC
- Best Referee: Dean O’Dalot — Connaught County Board
The Best Club award went to Cork Boxing Selection, who finished the tournament with an outstanding 12 gold medals.
There were brilliant stories throughout the competition.
Golden Cobra BC sent four fighters — and all four returned with gold medals.
Blake Bardon.
Halle Bardon.
AJ Carlyle.
Jessica Misiukiewicz.
Four fighters. Four champions.
Donegal clubs also enjoyed an exceptional tournament.
Caoimhin Connolly of Twin Towns BC claimed 50kg gold after defeating Indian champion Asad Shah by unanimous decision.
Twin Towns teammate Aoife Gillespie also won gold.
Ben Cunningham of Carndonagh BC became champion, while Eddie McBride of Dunfanaghy BC won three contests on his way to 64kg gold.
Enler ABC produced two champions — Bobbie Boardman and Zac Foster — with Boardman winning three bouts across three days to claim his title.
These are the kinds of performances that make international amateur tournaments worth watching.
158 Pairs — and Four Colours Gone
Throughout the three days, fighters, coaches and families continued coming over to the Southpaw stand.
Some already knew the brand.
Some had seen other fighters wearing the socks.
Some were trying Southpaw for the first time.
By Saturday, our four core event colours — White, Black, Red and Blue — were gone.
That was a proud moment for us.
Not simply because stock had sold.
But because every pair represented another boxer choosing to try something we have spent years developing specifically for the sport.
Southpaw started with a simple idea:
boxing deserved a sock designed specifically for boxing.
Better grip inside the boot.
Better lockdown around the heel.
Better comfort through rounds of training, sparring and competition.
That sock was the first step.
The ambition for Southpaw has always been much bigger.
Why Showing Up Matters
Advertising can introduce someone to a brand.
But boxing is still a sport built heavily on trust and word of mouth.
A fighter tries something and tells their teammate.
A coach recommends something to the gym.
A parent sees another boxer wearing a product and asks about it.
That is why being present matters.
At Monkstown, we met fighters and coaches from 178 clubs across 10 countries.
Some bought their first pair.
Others came back for another.
Some simply stopped for a conversation.
Every one of those interactions helps build Southpaw in the right way.
Grassroots clubs matter.
Amateur tournaments matter.
The young boxer travelling to their first international competition matters just as much as the professional fighter preparing for a world title.
The people inside these gyms are the future of the sport.
We want to grow alongside them.
Built for Boxing
Southpaw boxing socks are trusted by 10 world champions, 16 Olympians and 100+ world-ranked fighters across 35+ countries.
Voted World’s Best Boxing Socks by Fit2Box in 2023, 2024 and 2025 — three years running.
But the moments that mean the most often happen somewhere like Monkstown.
A young boxer trying their first pair.
A coach coming back to the stand.
A colour selling out because fighters keep choosing it.
A Southpaw sock appearing in another gym the following week.
That is how this journey grows.
One fighter at a time.
The same socks that sold out at Monkstown are back in stock now.
Shop Southpaw Boxing Socks — 3× Fit2Box Award Winner →
Partner With Southpaw
Southpaw works with boxing clubs, teams, governing bodies and event organisers across the sport.
If you represent a boxing organisation and would like to explore kit supply, club partnerships or event collaboration, we would love to hear from you.
Apply for a Southpaw Club Partnership →
A huge thank you to Monkstown Dublin Boxing Club, Boxing Ireland, the officials, volunteers, coaches, families and every fighter who helped make the 2026 Monkstown International Box Cup what it was.
And thank you to everyone who stopped by the Southpaw stand.
We will see you at the next one.