John Cooney died in February 2025 after suffering a brain injury during the first defence of his Celtic super-featherweight title against Nathan Howells. It was his 12th professional bout, and In total, he boxed 60 rounds across his dozen pro bouts, winning 11, right up to his final contest at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. John was just 28 years old when he passed away, the first fatality in an Irish ring in 70+ years. These are the facts. To find out about the man himself, The Rocky Road visited his gym in Inchicore, Dublin, where coach Steven O’Rourke and best mate Ryan O’Rourke talked about his cheeky character, his punching power and his love for cookies and cheesecake. One year on, the pain of his loss is still deeply felt, while his memory drives them on. 

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