CLUBS across Ulster have been urged to attend an information meeting in Belfast ahead of the crucial decision on Irish boxing’s international future, which will be taken next month.
The Girdwood Community Hub will host Saturday’s meeting, which gets under way at 11am, and follows events in the other three provinces – on Tuesday at the Fairgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown, Cork (7.30pm), Wednesday at the National Stadium (8pm) and on Thursday at The Hub in Castlerea, Roscommon (7pm).
Although a definitive date has yet to be confirmed, the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) announced that its clubs will have “the opportunity to consider alternative partnerships” at an Extraordinary General Meeting in mid-August.
Essentially, the vote surrounds whether to remain with the International Boxing Association (IBA) or join forces with rival body World Boxing.
As it means a change in the constitution of the IABA, a formal decision to cuts ties with the IBA would require support from 75 per cent of delegates present at the EGM. Each club who turns up at the EGM will have one vote.
And Ulster president Kevin Duffy has called upon members to ensure they “equip themselves with sufficient knowledge” ahead of that vote by attending Saturday’s meeting, which will also be will be attended by interim IABA board of directors chair Tom Geraghty.
“The Irish Athletic Boxing Association stands at a critical juncture,” said Duffy.
“A decision of significant importance, one that will shape the future of boxing in our country, must be made. All members will have an opportunity to influence this decision during the upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting, scheduled for mid-August.
“The Ulster Boxing Council urges all of its members to attend the meeting this coming Saturday. This will serve as an invaluable opportunity for members to get updated on the current status, pose questions they feel need answering, and hopefully, equip themselves with sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision about our future course.
“We believe this active involvement and open discourse will help our members decide on the most suitable path for Irish boxing.”
The ground is constantly shifting at the top end of boxing, with the future path unclear following a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to expel the IBA from the Olympic movement last month.
World Boxing was formed in a bid to secure the sport’s Olympic future after boxing was originally left off the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
However, while that programme is not expected to be officially finalised until October, IOC director general Christophe De Kepper last month "guaranteed" that the sport will feature in LA following the IBA’s removal.
As they did at the delayed Tokyo 2020, the IOC will run the boxing competition at next summer’s Olympics in Paris, having taken charge of the European qualification event recently held during the European Games in Poland.
However, there has been no indication as to who will run the tournament post-Paris. It is also unclear whether boxers whose national federations remain loyal to the IBA will be allowed to compete in Los Angeles, or future Olympic Games.
Several nations have already joined forces with World Boxing, led by USA, with GB Boxing among those applying for associate membership.
In a significant move, the influential Asian confederation has decided to hold an extraordinary congress later this year to vote on whether to leave to the IBA. A major continental player, the outcome of that congress will have a major bearing on the power struggle between the two organisations.
The leadership of the IABA has made clear its support for the establishment of World Boxing, but whether or not there is enough support behind a move to leave the IBA remains to be seen.
In a letter issued to clubs in recent weeks, signed by Geraghty and IABA president Gerry O’Mahony, the IABA acknowledge that joining World Boxing would be “a calculated risk”, before claiming that funding could be affected should it remain within the IBA.
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BROADHURST TO KEEP OLYMPIC DREAM ALIVE
AMY Broadhurst looks set to stay amateur and pursue her dream to reach the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Following her quarter-final exit from the European Olympic qualifier in Poland, when a place in the last four was the qualification requirement at 66kg, the Dundalk woman indicated that she was at a crossroads – whether to stay, or whether to follow her hero Katie Taylor into the pro ranks.
It will be interesting to see things unfold with Broadhurst, who won World and European gold either side of topping the podium in Birmingham during an unforgettable 2022.
“Heartbroken isn’t the word,” she posted on social media afterwards.
“I always thought my destiny was the Olympic Games. I believed I was born for boxing, I was to be an Olympic champion, and that’s not the way it’s gone for me.
“I don’t know what’s next. I don’t know if I’ll ever strap an amateur glove around my hand again or if I’ll go pro.”
However, Broadhurst has now indicated that she will enter the next Irish Elite Championships - expected to take place in October or November – in a bid to land a spot on the Irish team that travels to the first World qualifier in the spring of 2024.
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GRIMLEY KEEPS UP WINNING WAYS WITH CADET CROWN
IT was celebration time for Ryan Grimley at the weekend after the Armagh teenager claimed the 46kg title at the national senior cadet championships.
Grimley – who boxes out of Armagh Boxing Club - has had an unforgettable few weeks after also coming up trumps at the Monkstown International Cup, and got the better of James McCann (St Monica’s) on a 4-1 split in the senior cadet decider.
“He’s been with us from a young age, won a lot of titles on the way, and is very dedicated,” said Armagh BC coach Donald Renaghan.
“Hopefully now he will get the opportunity to represent Ireland. That’s the road we hope he’s going.”
Daithi McNamee, from the Two Castles club in Newtownstewart, took the 33kg Irish senior cadet crown via a walkover.
