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Byrne-Out: Jay reveals Irish title exit plan

Jay Byrne [10(2)-8(2)] wants to leave boxing this year with an Irish title draped over his shoulder.

Byrne only returned to the sweet science on Saturday last, ending a three-year sabbatical with victory over Jiri Kroupa in Waterford, but came back with a very exact exit plan in place.

The 36-year-old is planning a brief but brilliant resurgence.

The former Bray Wanders footballer would like to settle his differences with Robbie Burke in a BUI super middleweight Celtic title fight in the summer and then trade leather the current holder of that belt, Craig McCarthy, for the Irish strap in September.

Indeed, Byrne was in the ring following the conclusion of the McCarthy v Graham McCormack headline fight at the SETU Arena on Saturday.

“I’m back. I’m back for the rest of the year,” Byrne told Irish-boxing.com.

“I want my Irish title. I wanted it since 2016. It’s time for me to win the Irish title. I have a BUI Celtic title and a BBBofC Celtic title at home on the wall, lets go win the Irish title at another weight. Three weights, three titles, for a man that never boxed until he was 27 or 28, that would be fairly good.”

It’s clear an Irish title win would mean the world to the ever-ambitious Loughlinstown man who unsuccessfully challenged Craig O’Brien for a vacant light middleweight belt in 2018.

However, just fighting again full-stop was huge for The Negotiator.

“It was very emotional, tears came in my yes when the result was being read out to be honest with you.

“I felt like my career was taken from me and it never sat well.”

Reflecting on his first win since he defeated the late Stefan Sanderson in a BBBofC light middleweight title defence in 2019, Byrne noted that “I personally think I walked through that fight, I won it easily enough, there was one round that was close enough but I thought I boxed well. There was a lot of rust but I felt I was still in control. I don’t think there was ever a time in the fight where I don’t think he was going to win the fight or he was going to hurt me. “

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