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Hatton: Burnett will reach the boxing summitCash for Gold- Carruth believes boxing should deliver gold this summer
By Jonny Stapleton
Olympic gold medallist Michael Carruth claims if his Barcelona 1992 success is not emulated by an Irish fighter this summer the London 2012 games will be a failure.
Olympic gold medallist Michael Carruth claims if his Barcelona 1992 success is not emulated by an Irish fighter this summer the London 2012 games will be a failure.
Boxing is by far Ireland’s greatest London 2012 medal hope with the likes of Katie Taylor, Joe Ward, Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan, amongst others tipped to do well.
In a strange cash for gold scenario, Driminagh boxing’s most famous son believes the time, resources and finance put into the High Performance unit over the last number of years should ensure Ireland’s 20 year boxing gold drought is ended.
Carruth claims he is honoured to be Ireland’s first Olympic boxing gold medallist, but is adamant he doesn’t want to be the last.
“If we don’t win a gold medal this year it will be a failure. In saying that, I’m putting my old buddy, Billy Walsh under pressure. It has been 20 years since I won at the Olympic Games. We need to be winning again, either through the male or female version,” the Irish boxing legend explained.
“They have been fully funded for the last 10 years. We have shown in the European and World (championships) that we are capable of winning medals and we now have to show we can do it at the next level. I’ve been privileged to be the first; I don’t want to be the last.”
The Irish boxing team has literally being punching above its weight for the last number of years with an abundance of success on the international stage- and Carruth’s is confident that trend will continue on the biggest sporting stage of all.
The 1992 Olympic Champion believes the three medal success of Beijing 2008 could be surpassed.
“None of us foresaw the three medals at Beijing,” he said. “The medal winners, Kenny Egan and the late, great Darren Sutherland, qualified in the latter stages. Paddy Barnes was always going to have a chance.
“None of us foresaw the three medals at Beijing,” he said. “The medal winners, Kenny Egan and the late, great Darren Sutherland, qualified in the latter stages. Paddy Barnes was always going to have a chance.
“I think we have a better team now than we had in Beijing. Paddy is knocking on the door again. We have Joe Ward, who won a tournament last week and beat a former world champion in the process. His confidence must be sky high.”
Depending on who joins Darren O’Neill, Michael Conlan and John Joe Nevin on the plane to London after the last qualifiers in Turkey next month, Ireland could have a medal chance at nigh on every weight.
However the ace in Ireland’s sleeve could prove to be the greatest female boxer on the planet Katie Taylor. Carruth certainly thinks the Bray wonder woman can win gold.
“She has beaten anyone that has been put in front of her before so we can’t say she won’t do it again.”
Editor of Irish-Boxing.com.