Bray Defeats Irish Champion in 3-Round Heavyweight Bout

Heavyweight boxer John Bray of Van Nuys won a unanimous three-round decision over Irish national champion Sean O’Reagan on Friday at Caesars Atlantic City during a U.S.-Ireland amateur dual meet.

The United States won the meet, 7-3, in the first head-to-head meeting between the nations since 1985.

Bray, 18, who had not fought since losing in the final of the Western Olympic Trials last May, said that the layoff had hurt him. He also pinned some of his problems on failing to maintain his prefight strategy.

“I got away from my game plan,” Bray said. “First I was going to box him, but then I thought I could hurt him. I thought I could have taken him out with my right hand, but it didn’t happen.”