Longford boxer returns to ring for big London fight with high hopes of pursuing professional career

Longford boxer Luke ‘Sugar Free’ Byrne is returning to the ring after a few years out in a big fight in London this Saturday, March 11

Luke’s opponent at the Brentwood Centre, Essex is Dragos Adrian, who is based in and fighting out of London. Luke admits, “He has more fights than myself and will be a great challenge for my return to the ring.”

However, he is confident of victory. “My main strengths as a boxer would be my boxing IQ, elusiveness, hand speed and punch power. I believe I have a great chance of victory; I am not travelling over to the UK, bringing friends and family along to support me if I thought I was going to lose. I am extremely confident of a big victory on March 11 and making a big statement.”

His sponsors for the fight are D Barbers Longford, Herterichs Butchers and Zobi Fashion Wear. The fight can be viewed live on Luke’s Instagram on the evening of March 11. His Instagram handle is @Sugarfreeboxer and this is the only way to view this fight live in Ireland.

Luke grew up in Longford Town and now lives in Moyne. He attended Moyne Community School and went on to complete a level 8 honours degree in Sports Science & Exercise Physiology in Athlone Institute of Technology.

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His love of boxing came from his dad. “He was involved in boxing all of his life and I inherited his love for the sport; I cannot remember life without boxing involved and wouldn't have it any other way.”

Luke also enjoyed playing soccer when he was younger, along with tennis and chess but boxing was always his number one passion and he took to it very naturally.”

As a teenager, Luke’s coach at Connolly boxing club in Longford was his father. He explained, “I have been training from my home gym. Myself and dad, as a lockdown project turned the garage into a boxing gym and I have been training from there. Dad has been helping me train. He is not able to do too much with me physically but has been there to oversee training, help me strategise and give tips and pointers as needed. I train twice a day, 5 days per week.”

Family is important to Luke. “There are four in my family, Mum, Dad, myself & my younger brother Matthew, who has autism. Both my parents care for my brother and have given me great love and support, especially upon my diabetes diagnosis; they have helped and continue to help to this day. We are very tight knit and I have a very strong bond with all of them as well as my nana who lives with my parents and brother. They live in Drumlish at present and adore the community they are a part of.”

Luke isn’t attached to a club at present and explained, “I will be boxing independently as it (Saturday’s fight) is for up and coming boxers who are looking to make a name for themselves before turning professional rather than representing a club like during a national competition.”

He also revealed where the ‘Sugar Free’ nickname came from. “The nickname of Sugar Free came from my type 1 diabetes. There are many great boxers nicknamed "Sugar", most notably Sugar Ray Robinson & Sugar Ray Leonard, so I thought I would be Sugar Free.”

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He took a step back from boxing during his 3rd and 4th year in college to successfully complete his thesis. He got back to training in 2019 and by the time he was ready to fight again, Covid struck and it was all called off.

Luke concluded, “I am returning to the ring to get back to winning ways and pick up where I left off, so to speak, chasing titles and success for myself and my boxing career, hopefully leading to a professional career.”