Charities benefit from Ryan’s return to the ring

IT was quite the comeback for Tyrone boxer Ryan ‘Tiny’ Donnelly last week, as he made his return to the ring and raised thousands for worthy causes.

With over 100 fights under his belt as well as winning the Ulster League in 2017, the 36-year-old Beragh man decided to put his gloves back on for the first time in seven years as part of a fundraising ‘fight night’ at the Copper Tap in Omagh.

Having impressed the judges, Ryan came out on top against his opponent, Simon Forde, an experienced kick boxer.

Ryan inspired the general public to donate generously to his chosen charities AWARE and Austism NI, raising a fantastic £2,500 for each.

Speaking to the TyroneHerald, Ryan said, “I never thought I would see myself return to boxing, but I decided to take the opportunity to raise money for both charities whose work I greatly admire.

“A few years ago, my appendix burst and I got really sick in the aftermath.

“Following that, I fell into a depression, suffered with anxiety and found myself hitting rock bottom.

“In the process of overcoming this obstacle, AWARE offered great support.

“I also wanted to raise money for Autism NI as my four-year-old daughter, Fiadh Rose was diagnosed with autism around the age of two. I just want to thank everyone who donated to and supported me.

“We’re all in this together, and the support has been mind blowing.”