Braid ABC boxer Anthony competing in United States

Braid ABC's Anthony O'Rawe is boxing in the USA this week. Picture: Press Eye.

Anthony, a former Ulster senior champion, received the call up to fly out after impressing the selectors over the recent months and is delighted participate in such a prestigious event.

The Washington based event will be attended by top US senators as well as many well-known American actors and professional boxers such as Irish Mickey Ward and Evander Holyfield to name a few.

The boxing classic will give a cross community team from Northern Ireland an opportunity to travel together as a team to compete against top class talent from the many neighbourhood projects funded clubs from USA.

Anthony an apprentice engineer in Wrightbus in Ballymena, who was granted time off to attend the cross community trip, was one of the first to be selected and is honoured to represent Northern Ireland in this context.

The team will then host a return leg when the USA team will travel across to Northern Ireland to compete here In the province,

Prior to jetting off, Anthony boxed at the Dockers club Belfast against a Dublin based opponent and used the three rounds to good effect ensuring he is in good shape when jetting off to the States.

Anthony boxed up and coming boxer Christien Ceskko from Portlaise and the Braid boxer was too strong for him dropping him in the second round.

Anthony opted to complete the three rounds to get much needed rounds under his belt before jetting off.