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Underachiever Turned BBC Believer – Teo Alin Ready to Look Good for the Cameras

Teo Alin is almost glad he never won an amateur boxing title!

The Tyrone stylist was one of many vest-wearing nearly men, always there or there about but never in the winner’s circle.

Be it at the National or Provincial level the former Cookstown and Holy Trinity talent seemed a near-miss specialist.

Those defeats did hurt and left him feeling frustrated at times. However, two fights into his pro career he is looking back on them as a positive.

Alin believes he has underachieved in boxing and that gives him the motivation to succeed as a pro.

“It was very frustrating,” he told the Irish News.

“Except for my last fight, every defeat in Ulster came by split decision. It was 3-2, 3-2, 3-2… I don’t think I lost those fights and it was hard to take but I’d say if I had won an elite title – an Ulster and an Irish title – I might have called it a day because I’d have been happy with that.

“But, because I’m an underachiever, I want to keep going and see how far I can go. It was probably meant to be and really I always wanted to go pro – I’d been thinking about it for four or five years – but I was always chasing that elite title.

“I didn’t get it so, chapter closed, and here I am and the support has been amazing.”

Alin is managed by fan IBO light heavyweight title-winning fan favourite Padraig McCrory and while he hasn’t quite the same style as the big punching Dee Walsh-trained pro, he does have something in common with his manager, popularity.

“I’ve actually been blown away with it because I didn’t know I knew that many people!

“On my debut, I sold 130-odd tickets and it was the same for my last fight and I’ve a lot of tickets sold for this one already. It’ll only get bigger I hope and I want to thank everybody for their support.”

The 29-year-old has been handed the chance to take a massive leap forward career-wise this weekend when he fights Brayan Mairena on the BBC Broadcast Nations Fight Night this weekend.

It’s a boy-done good moment he may not have experienced if boxing hadn’t taken him off a bad road.

“Before the boxing club opened up, to be honest I would have been up to no good with a few of my friends,” added Alin.

“A load of us joined the boxing club and they said I’d be the first one to quit it – now they’re all buying tickets to come and watch me fight!

“I wouldn’t say I got into much bother, but I was up to things I shouldn’t have been – smoking and drinking and all at only 15. Once the club opened up it changed everything and if it wasn’t for boxing I probably would still be at that so I’m thankful for boxing and the opportunities it has given me.”

Photo Credit Mark Mead

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