DARREN Corbett was last night injured in a car accident and his IBO cruiserweight title defence next Friday is off.
The north Belfast-born Irish, IBO and Commonwealth champion suffered a minor fracture in his back and sustained an injury to his left arm, following an accident in west Belfast.
It is not thought the injuries are career threatening but Corbett has been ordered to take extensive rest from training.
Corbett was set to defend his IBO inter-continental title against South Africa’s Isaac Mahlangu at the Maysfield Leisure Centre next Friday, a fight would could have provided the launching pad for his assault on the cruiserweight World championship belts.
He was a passenger in a car involved in a pile-up at west Belfast’s Kennedy Way. His brother Eamonn, who was driving the vehicle, sustained neck and back injuries.
A relative of the Irish champion said Corbett was “numb and very tired,” following his discharge from hospital.
She added:“Darren said the car which hit his did so at considerable speed. They are lucky to be alive.
“We don’t know much more because he is numb and very tired but we’re told there were at least eight cars involved in a pile-up.
“His left arm is swollen and his back is very sore. The fight is most definitely off.”
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DARREN Clarke kept the lead at the One 2 One British Masters at the Forest of Arden yesterday – but he could not match the remarkable performance of twice winner Ian Woosnam.
At six over par after seven holes of his second round Woosnam said he was on the point of asking the sponsors for one of their mobile phones so he could tell his pilot to bring round his private jet and take him back to Jersey.
But the 40-year-old Welshman, champion in 1983 and 1994, then played the front nine in 28 shots – only one outside the European Tour record – and goes into today only three off the lead after carding a 66.
First-day pacesetter Clarke had a chance to run away with the £750,000 tournament when he went to the turn in 33.
But two late dropped shots meant a 71, a six-under-par total of 138 and only a share of top spot.
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NO person on earth could have matched Offaly with Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final this year, writes Terence McNaughton.
We all expected to watch Waterford and Clare at Croke Park, instead we have an all-Leinster final. That says a lot for fitness, getting up in the morning at 7am, dieting and training on bank holidays.
This year hurling has replaced all the preparation hype.
There have been some great games and displays of skill, true hurling, how it should be played.
It’s a great sign for hurling that the teams who have talked about the importance of fitness, are not in the final.
I know these guys from Kilkenny and Offaly, they go about their training as they have always done.
No one is going to tell the likes of Pat O’Neill what to eat, when to get out of bed and when to train.
His hurling, his form, everything he has ever done for Kilkenny speaks louder volumes than the hype about big strong men, bursting out at the seams and fit for anything.
