Luke To The Future – Maguire making strides under Zaur and Co.
Luke McGuire believes Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke’s success is proof he has the right team behind him going into his first major international tournament.
The Esker fighter is one of 10 fighters selected by Team Ireland to compete in the European Championships in Armenia and will represent his country in the light middleweight class.
The Dubliner, who won the Best Boxer Award at the Golden Gong multi nations in Macedonia last November, goes into his maiden major international tournament inspired by the success of the Louth and Roscommon fighter and assured that the people that helped them to the top of the podium will be in his corner in Armenia this week.
“Watching both Lisa and Amy gave me inspiration,” he tells Irish-Boxing.com.
“I think everyone involved in Irish boxing would feel the same, everyone on the team’s goal is to someday achieve what they just have. It also shows what we are learning and implementing is working.
“Working with the best coaches in the world in the High Performance the last few months and also with the help of my club coaches at Esker has definitely helped me grow into an international level fighter,” he adds before revealing extra time at the High Performance with Zaur Antia and co has greatly helped him.
“I feel a lot more rounded as a fighter since I came in and feel I’m constantly improving under the guidance of the coaches in the High Performance. They’re some of the best coaches in the world and their recent success at the Women’s Worlds has shown this, I feel privileged to be under their guidance.”
The @EUBCBOXING draws are in!#TeamIreland's Luke Maguirehttps://t.co/kE2T7GeqKN https://t.co/k9IN4uB6MT pic.twitter.com/jeufNQLNKx
— IABA (@IABABOXING) May 22, 2022
Speaking on his hopes going into the tournament, Maguire says he plans “to be the best version of myself and implement the things I have learned and practiced in the High Performance over the last few months. I’ll be taking one fight at a time and the goal is always to win,” he adds before reflecting on the honour that is being selected for your countr
“It’s great to be selected. It’s a big honour to box for my country at such a major tournament and it’s a massive achievement for me and my club.”
Team Ireland:
48kg Ricky Nesbitt, Holy Family, Drogheda
51kg Sean Mari, Monkstown BC, Dublin
54kg Dylan Eagleson, St. Paul’s, Belfast
57kg Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway
60kg JP Hale, Star ABC, Belfast.
63.5kg Brandon McCarthy, St. Michael’s, Athy.
67kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family, Drogheda
71kg Luke Maguire, Esker BC, Dublin
75kg Gabriel Dossen, Olympic, Galway.
92kg Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin
Coaches:
Zauri Antia
Dmitri Dmitruk
Damian Kennedy
