P.J. Lenehan competed in the men’s welterweight boxing at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games, winning his opening bout against Arne Sande of Denmark in a performance that made him one of the few Irish boxers to win a bout at those Games.

Against the Danish boxer, Lenehan used a disciplined straight left to control the opening round before landing a sharp right hook to drop Sande in the second round, consolidating his advantage in the third to secure a narrow but deserved points win.

He was outpointed in his next bout by Raymond Smillie of Canada.