MOVIE heart-throb Daniel Day Lewis dropped into a west Belfast boxing gym for a surprise workout at the weekend.
The Oscar-winning actor – one of Hollywood’s hottest properties – was getting a taste for his forthcoming role in `The Boxer’.
The recently-married star had a strenuous work-out with former Irish senior champion Damien Denny at the Holy Trinity gym in Turf Lodge.
Denny (30) has also landed a part in the new fight movie, which begins shooting on April 1 in Dublin.
Day Lewis is known as a perfectionist in the movie industry and has spent the last six months learning his boxing skills in Los Angeles and Ireland with both former world champion Barry McGuigan and ex-Irish title-holder Micky Tohill.
According to boxing pundits at Holy Trinity, Day Lewis is certainly in super-fit condition for the demands of his forthcoming role.
Even after a rigorous two-hour training stint, he continued his exercise routine along with seasoned international boxers Damaen Kelly, Brian Magee and Eddie Fisher. Irish Olympic coach Michael Hawkins took the Hollywood star for a session on the boxing pads in the Trinity club and said: “He packs a powerful punch and floats around the ring. He would do all right in the Trinity team.”
Belfast-born screenwriter Terry George said they were trying to create some of the most realistic fight scenes ever seen by a cinema audience.
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GARY Walsh in back in the Donegal side for Sunday’s McKenna Cup clash with Ulster champions Tyrone.
The keeper was sidelined in the National League by in-form Paul Callaghan who will start the game on the bench.
Donegal: G Walsh; M Crossan, S McEwan, J Cunningham; D Diver; M Coll, O Reid, B Murray; J Ruane; J Ban Gallagher, J Gildea, B Roper; A Sweeney, T Boyle, M Boyle.
Subs: P Callaghan, M Gallagher, M Shovlin, M Boyle, P McKinley, R McLaughlin, B McLaughlin, S McGinty
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THE grin of Alex Ferguson and the grimace of Antonio Oliveira said it all – Manchester United are on their way to the semi-finals of the European Cup.
Goals by David May, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole made for a spectacular Old Trafford night as United produced a quarter-final first leg demolition of Portuguese champions Porto.
And although United boss Ferguson insisted he would be taking nothing for granted for the return in two weeks’ time and Porto coach Oliveira maintained his players will be looking to restore battered Portuguese pride, the body language of the two coaches made it easy to read between the lines.
“To win 4-0 in a European Cup quarter-final is beyond my wildest dreams – and anyone else’s,” beamed Ferguson.
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KNOCKOUT... Daniel Day Lewis finishes his training session in the Holy Trinity boxing gym, Belfast
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GALWAY’s Francis Barrett last night clinched the English ABA title in Birmingham.
Barrett beat Handsworth’s Tim Smith to lift the welteweight crown and erase last week’s Irish senior semi-final defeat to Monktown’s Willie Cowan.
Barrett won last night’s bout on points.
The win will strengthen speculation that the Olympic boxer will enter the professional arena.
