Irish Boxing

Chairman of Irish Sports Council - Kieran Mulvey, has (finally) got his finger out and given the IABA an ultimatum about Billy Walsh. Billy is due to fly to the states tomorrow. Too little too late?

 

Will you be there for either one?

 

Billy Walsh has done a great job for Irish boxing in his role with the HPU. There are many strands to it, people forget the Schoolboys, Youths, Juniors and Women as well as the elite, all are going very well and such are the structures in place and the competency of the HPU coaches that the immediate future is secure regardless of any one man.
There will always be tension between top volunteering Officials and full-time paid staff in any organization, that is the nature of things, can be a good or a bad thing. The Sports Council have done their stuff down the line, reining in the IABA on occasion, attempting to broker a deal and removing the funding issue re Billy.
Irish boxing will survive and probably prosper, after Billy, if the right people are put in place and Zaur is kept in situ but this doesn't answer two key questions. Was Walsh treated fairly and what about selection issues? If as I imagine, the crux was selection of Elite boxers for the HPU, funding and major games, the we are back to the judging at the National seniors. It seems to me that the IABA or indeed the Sports Council should loosen the purse strings and import the best and most impartial judges they can find. A trawl of the judges from the World, Euros and from across the Irish Sea should solve this.(We need to be careful not to get people with an agenda to filter out our Olympic hopefuls.) Ironically Billy's nephew benefited from the closest decision at the last finals. Certainly some clubs with lofty connections appeared to get the close ones in the past. It is only fair to remark that the IABA officials do a lot of time-consuming work-and I'm no big fan of them- and that Billy Walsh has been a great ambassador for Ireland, truth is he was probably Ireland's Sports manager/coach of the year for nearly everyone of the last ten years or so. Hopefully he wont go, even at this late stage, but if he does we will survive in the short term as most of the coaching of the elite is done by their club coaches and others in the HPU. The important thing for the long haul will be to address the issues raised.

 

My take on the whole thing is that the boxers and coahes around ireland are not happy about losing Billy but feel as long as we have Zaur and the hp set up we will be fine,
Team ratification has always been the way of picking irish teams,Billy picks the team and the central council oks it,
Apparently its in place to stop personal oppinions between a coach and boxer affecting the boxers chance of being picked for a team
If Billy has had to deal with this since the hp started why is it such a big issue now?
Plus the sports council has said if billy doesnt stay they will cut funding,This is a disgracefull thing for any national body to say In public,there is no way the Iaba can back down so any hope of a resolution seems to be gone,
We need to move on now and concetrate on the boxers,

 

I think the sports council could sort it but would Billy return?? Thats the biggest question to be asked?? Has Billy already signed his contract with the US?? I think if Billy returns then all the powers in the IABA will have to resign add fresh blood into the running of the IABA.
I think for the IABA to go and be run as professional as possible we need to get in some former elite level fighter who understands the ins and outs in the game now. Maybe Kenny Egan just for example. Its changed big time. Also the head coach should have the final say keep it simple as possible. On any board its vital to have a certain mix to it to get things done right and fair.

I am glad that the media are all over this and i hope that they the IABA will learn from there mistakes in the future if Walsh decides its best for him to stay away. Not to mess up like this again.

 

This is not a 'now' problem Puca. This has been brewing for years. Years. For example about 3 years ago the whole thing came very close to blowing up if I remember correctly when the IABA refused to make Billy director of the HPU. He almost went then, but hung in there by his fingernails. Truth is the current situation really ought to have happened years ago - its amazing the whole mess held together this long.

 

be there for both.... where will you be:think:good

 

Both are selling well. The debut of Lynn Harvey on Nov 6th is drawing a massive crowd

 

I admire your commitment!
I wont be in the big smoke this weekend, sadly.
Ill be on holiday in Youghal, Co Cork. nothing like the seaside this time of year - salty sea air......hypothermia...pneumonia....but I owe the missus this one so theres no getting out of it :verysad. (Youghal is in Spike country - Youghal used to be strong Shinner country too but its all fallen apart for them down there recently, check it out!! :bbb)

 

I remember that it was after Gary keegan left the whole unit was supposed to collapse then aswell,
It would be interesting to know how man of billys selected teams have been changed in the last three years,would anyone on here know that?
It's an absolute f up from start to finish that's for sure

 

theres a couple of factors here that need to be considered. For example I noticed that guys like Mick Carruth and Phil Sutcliffe - both old guard Dublin boxers were VERY mealy-mouthed in their comments. They refused point blank to back Billy.
Has Billy being from Wexford - an outsider to the 'Dublin Mafia' got anything to do with it?

Billy obviously wasnt playing ball with these guys 'recommendations' as to who should get into the HPU. He was his own man. He couldnt be 'lobbied' to favour the guy from Cork over the guy from Limerick etc etc. Hee picked the boxers on merit - as it should be. The results bear out his judgement.

 

Irish boxing said frampton quigg fight is agreed for either 20th or 27th February in Manchester arena. Booked hotels for both dates 100 euro. Free cancelation on both. Return flights from Dublin on them dates are only 20 euro. Tempted to book them now for both dates incase prices shoot up when fight is announced. Obvioulsy no free cancelation though. But how reliable a site is irish-boxing.com for info

 

Was just thinking of an interesting fight for a few years down the road.

Assuming Conlon goes pro after Rio, he'll most likely be fighting in Framptons weight class.

I assume Conlon will be moved at an advanced rate, especialaly if he comes out of Rio with a gold(or even a medal).

How do people see this fight going in a couple of years?

Could be called "The battle of Ulster"

 

http://www.irish-boxing.com/conlan-eyes-2018-world-title-fight-with-frampton/

Reckon Frampton would be too strong for him.

 

or battle of Ireland :bbb:good