Wexford boxer Dean Gonzalez Furlong aiming to perform and cannot wait for Waterford card

It’s a great time to be a follower of boxing in Wexford…

Wexford now has three professional boxers to support. Whereas just over six months ago, Wexford didn’t have any boxers to support in the pro ranks – they now have three, with boxer David Kennedy from Gorey along side the Wexford town duo of Dean Walsh and Dean Gonzalez Furlong.

At least two of the three will be fighting on the upcoming Conlan Boxing card in Waterford on December 7th. One of those confirmed is Dean ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez Furlong who will be hoping to keep his record ticking over, having made a winning start to his professional boxing career on his debut back in April.

On December 7th, Furlong will be fighting on the undercard of the Tyrone McKenna and Dylan Moran bill at the SETU Arena in Waterford.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Dean ahead of his fight to discuss his preparation, his excitement, and the big Wexford support that will likely be in attendance on the night.

Just over six weeks out from the fight, the Wexford man couldn’t hide his excitement to fight on a huge card in the South East of Ireland:

“I’m very excited. It’s an amazing show to be a part of, and I can’t wait to get in the ring,” he said.

Dean seems to have an aura about him. He’s a confident sort, but his priorities are clear for his upcoming fight:

“I always focus on delivering a strong performance because I believe that if I perform, the win will follow,” he told Wexford Weekly.

One difficult aspect for upcoming fighters who are new in the pro ranks is not having an opponent sorted until the last minute. This seems to be the case for Dean too, but he’s not too fussed about it and he’s just focussing on himself. When asked about his potential opponent, he confirmed that he’s unaware yet.

“Not yet. I leave that decision up to the matchmaker,” he said.

With Wexford being so close to Waterford and less than an hour away, there’s guaranteed to be a significant Wexford following there to support their own. For some boxers, the big crowd and having people you know attend could be a daunting experience. For Dean though, it’s the bigger the better:

“I want a big crowd there supporting me. The bigger, the better. It won’t distract me at all – it only motivates me more,” he told Wexford Weekly.

One question that isn’t asked to boxers is simply why boxing? Not many people would step in a ring, get punched in the face, or try to punch people in the face. For some, it’s the last thing that they would do. For Dean, the main reason is because it’s part of his heritage, his family connections, and how he grew up.

“My dad is my coach and got me into boxing. He boxed and coached at Wexford CBS, where his coaches, Aidan O’Sullivan and Liam Walsh the late husband of Clair Bell, had a significant impact on my career as a boxer. Wexford CBS has supported me a lot over the years, and Richard Hore will be in my corner alongside my Dad as one of the coaches,” Dean told Wexford Weekly.

There’s no doubt that there’s going to be a significant Wexford crowd at this card in the SETU Arena in Waterford on December 7th. With potentially three new pro Wexford boxers on the card, this card will no doubt be one to remember from a Wexford viewpoint.