Two fighters from Emerald Kickboxing have returned from the WKO World Championships in Barnsley, England, with an impressive haul of medals after representing Team Ireland.

David Pacud, competing in the -67kg category for 16 and 17-year-olds, enjoyed a particularly successful championship, claiming gold in Light Contact and Full Contact, as well as silver in Light Continuous and bronze in Low Kick.

Pacud, nicknamed the “Baby Faced Assassin”, won both his semi-final and final on the way to securing his gold medals.

He was joined in Barnsley by fellow Emerald Kickboxing fighter Cillian Freeman, who competed in the senior -82kg category at the age of 41.

Freeman also came away with two medals, winning gold in Box Light on the tatami, while taking silver in Boxing Light Contact.

Both fighters represented their country, county and local club, with Sharmaine ‘Shaz’ Furlong and Lukaz Pacud, David’s father, stepping in to provide corner work for the pair throughout the championships.

Head coach Brian Phealan has worked with both fighters for the past two years at the Billy O’Sullivan School of Kickboxing, also known as Emerald Kickboxing, helping prepare them for their World Championship campaigns.

The success in Barnsley will now be followed by another big test for both fighters, as they return to action on a show being hosted by Billy O’Sullivan on September 6th.

Pacud is set for a three-round contest against Alan Ginson, another world champion. The pair have already met this year in a Light Contact bout, which finished in a draw.

Freeman will face a current three-discipline Irish kickboxing champion in a five-round contest for a Domestic Irish Boxing title.

Both Emerald Kickboxing fighters will have Brian Phealan and Billy O’Sullivan in their corners for the September 6th event.

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