Egan stays amateur
19 December 2008 – By Cormac Campbell
Irish boxing’s captain fantastic Ken Egan has put to bed months of speculation on his future by announcing that his long term future remains within the amateur code.
The Olympic bronze medalist had been the subject of a long term courting process from both Golden Boy and Banner Promotions, but in the end the Neilstown man thrashed out a new deal with the IABA. The news is all the more poignant, given the fact that Egan’s former team-mate, and fellow medal winner Darren Sutherland made his professional debut just 12 hours prior.
At the heart of Egan’s decision is the belief that his slick style is more suitable for the technicalities of the amateur scoring system than the more robust approach favoured in the professional arena. Egan will now look ahead to the defence of his National title early in the New Year. But with the likes of Tommy McCarthy and Darren O’Neill expected to be snapping at his heals, much work will have to be done.
