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“I know he’d be proud” – Lynn Harvey to pay tribute to late Seany Carton in Euro title fight


Lynn Harvey [5(4)-1(0)] plans to pay tribute to the late Seany Carton during her bid to make Irish boxing history in Spain in two weeks’ time.

‘The Hunter’ can become the first ever Irish female European champion if she defeats Spaniard Catalina Diaz to claim the vacant strawweight EBU strap in Madrid on Saturday March 23rd.

It would prove a massive achievement that for the recently-turned-38-year-old fighter, but one she sadly couldn’t share with one of the main influences in her boxing career.

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Seany Carton RIP

Carton, who tragically passed away late last year, was in the Kilbarrack native’s corner when she last won boxing silverware.

Having just joined a boxercise class at 30 in Trinity Boxing to get fit, Harvey found out she had natural talent and a compulsion to fight – and within a year was Novice Champion.

She then moved to Crumlin where she ended up working with Carton. The pair became close friends and the coach was in her corner for an ’emotional’ Intermediate Championship success before the pair went the went “as two nobodies” to claim an upset National Elite title in 2014.

The partnership didn’t continue into the pros, but Harvey feels it only right to pay some homage to a friend on the big stage come March 23rd.

“I think he would have been so delighted for me. It’s sad he isn’t here to see it, really sad,” Harvey told Irish-Boxing.com.

“I will definitely do something for him and give him a nod on the night. I think that would be a nice thing to do for him.”

“I think it would be nice for him to look down on. I know he’d be very proud. I will do something in his memory and I suppose it’s my own little acknowledgement to him.”

Harvey points out that Carton, who cornered for Martin Quinn and Aidan Metcalfe in the pros, became more than just a coach.

They had a bond that developed into a friendship but would become estranged for a period before reconciling and she remembers fondly their time together.

“We had started back talking and were talking about meeting up, but sadly I didn’t get to see him.”

“I didn’t start with Sean, but when I move to Crumlin we got close and he worked with me. Those were very special and important years for me. We were the best of friends and we achieved great success together. They are brilliant memories to have.”

“I was just saying there the other day I have some great pictures taken by Donal Moloney of us both. I didn’t know it at the time but those pictures are now so special. I am so happy I have them to look back on.”

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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