Dylan Eagleson Targets Unique Pathway to Paris

Dylan Eagleson plans to make Olympic moves without moving up in weight.

The talented teen confirmed himself as a genuine world-level prospect by winning European Elite Championship silver last month.

The St Paul’s fighters’ performance in Armenia in what was his first-ever senior tournament also saw him emerge as a Paris 2024 Olympic hope.

However, the weight the 19-year-old competes at, at present isn’t an Olympic weight. Bantamweight is not one of the eight men’s weights that will be contested at the next Olympics, meaning Eagleson would eventually have to move up or down to become an Olympian.

Flyweight is the weight below and a weight Eagleson most likely couldn’t make, suggesting he will target the 57kg featherweight sport.

However, the teen star won’t look to make that move up to featherweight just yet and looks set to explore the new avenue presented by the new and unique qualification process.

The new qualification system, which we outlined and dug into HERE, allows for someone to secure enough qualification points at a non-Olympic weight and move up for the Games.

It appears as if Eagleson will look to compete in the Golden Belt Series, which starts early in 2023, at bantamweight secure qualification and compete in Paris at featherweight, providing Ireland’s featherweight hopeful doesn’t beat him to the punch.

“Next year will be a big year for me because that’s the year to get the points to qualify for Paris 2024,” he tells Irish-boxing.com before revealing he is happy to at bantamweight.

“I’m not in a rush to move up just yet.”