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Walsh warns McGinty – “it’s going to be war, one hell of a war”

It may be a new weight for Dean Walsh, but the Wexford man continues to have plenty of domestic success.

The Wexford man booked his place in the Senior Elite welterweight final following a cagey encounter with Omagh’s Tiernan Bradley.

A banana skin avoided, the St Ibars boxer is now looking forward to a war in the decider.

Walsh spoke to Irish-Boxing.com following the win over Bradley and described how “I knew he was going to be tough, that it was going to be a game of chess. He was very tricky, he doesn’t do anything when he steps back. He’s just very, very awkward, and he hits hard too.”

“The first round I thought went well, the second I upped it a small bit, and the third round was a bit close. Overall I thought I boxed really well. I didn’t work enough at times, but when I did work I was beating him to the punch.”

Walsh has moved up in weight for these championships, leaving the light welterweight (64kg) division which he ruled for three years. A long-term move. He explained that “I moved up in weight because I was finding it hard to go past 65kg. I thought with the World Championships, the Europeans, the Tokyo Olympic cycle, that I’d move. I weighed in this morning at 68.5kg, very light but I’m thinking the next four years. I feel bigger and stronger and 69kg and I’m ready to make it four in a row.”

“I’ve trained too hard to let it slip.”

The man standing in Walsh’s way on Friday is Donegal-Derry 18 year old Brett McGinty, a team mate of Bradley at the Commonwealth Youth Games where both won silver. The former underage star has made the move up to Elite level and looked rather destructive last Saturday again Peter Carr.

“Brett is a good kid and I respect him a lot. It’s going to be a good fight, but it’s coming back to Wexford,” Walsh noted before promising a war in the decider.

“It’s a lot more than a fight this man is going to have to give, I’m the man at the weight to beat. Come Friday it’s going to be war, one hell of a war, I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to making it four.”

Eric Donovan joins Gavan Casey and Joe O’Neill on Episode 2 of the Irish Boxing Show:

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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