JOHN Paul Hale has always envisaged himself throwing bombs as a professional fighter – but it is a dream that won’t be realised just yet as the Star man plans to remain in the amateur vest for now.
The 22-year-old has made steady progress since two barn-burning Ulster Hall bouts with Colm Murphy propelled the pair into the consciousness of boxing fans across the north.
Hale has since gone on to win a first Irish elite title, paving a way for international opportunities at World and European level, as well as competing at last summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
However, hopes of remaining in the frame for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris came to an end when Sligo’s Dean Clancy – who edged out Hale at January’s Irish elites – claimed the 63.5kg spot on the Irish team at the European Olympic qualifier.
Even though he bears no ill will towards rival Clancy, seeing that dream slip away was a bitter pill to swallow.
“I was upset - I was raging,” he said.
“I didn’t leave my house for about a week after I found out, just over-thinking everything, what’s next for me. And that’s nothing against Dean Clancy, he’s a good lad and he deserved it.
“You’d be so focused on ‘this is your opponent, you’re going to be fighting this guy, there’s a place at the qualifiers at stake’ – but it’s not like I have any bad blood with him. You just want it to be you, but it’s part of the game.
“You just have to learn to accept it.”
That process takes time, of course, especially with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles far off in the distance.
Given his aggressive, come forward style, it was inevitable that Hale would be linked with a move into the professional ranks.
Following Clancy’s qualification, turning over was the first thing on his mind, but having taken some wise counsel from Star coach Liam Corr, Hale decided to hold fire.
“Obviously I’ve been thinking about going pro a lot.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid… I’ve always had a pro style, I’ve sparred lots of pros and I suit it. I like the longer rounds, the flatter feet, I can hit hard, so I’m just waiting for the right time - when it comes, it comes.
“When I was younger I didn’t really think I was going to be a high-up amateur, like the ones I watched growing up. You’re just thinking ‘that’s not my style’. But as you get older, you realise those things change, you can become adaptable.
“I had a talk with Liam and he was saying when I got the medal in Poland [at the Feliks Stamm tournament] that counts towards possible funding. I’ve been with Liam since I was seven, he always gives me the best advice and looks out for me. That’s what you need in situations like this.
“He just said that’s the way things are, they don’t always work out the way you think or the way you want them to, and you have to bounce back. I know I still have a lot to prove in the amateurs, and I’m still one of the top guys in my weight.
I’ve improved a lot too. I wasn’t on the Irish team when I fought Colm [Murphy], I was still learning my way, but I’ve worked really hard to get where I am now.
“I’m better technically and tactically, I feel like I’m not just doing the same thing over and over again.”
There is a financial reality to remaining amateur, however, as Hale is one of several unfunded boxers bidding to make that breakthrough and lighten the load of travelling up and down the road to the high performance unit in Abbotstown.
“It’s hard being down in Dublin because a lot of the other ones still have the possibility of the Olympic qualifiers next year, they have something to work towards, where I’m probably the only one who doesn’t.
“My mood has been up and down as a result... like, I’ve been down here for two and a bit years and I literally haven’t got a penny.
“I’ve just been focused on boxing, improving, then when you get news like that, you just think it’s over. Now, I’m hoping to get to another multi-nations tournament by the end of the year which might get me on funding.
“I just have to stay focused, stay dedicated - I’m not giving up now because I’m still hungry, I still have goals. I’ll give it another year or so until I go pro, or whenever it is the right time.”
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HENDERSON BIDS TO LAND MEDAL AT EUROPEANS
LURGAN’S Cassie Henderson will make her bow at the European Schools’ Championships in Slovenia on Tuesday.
The highly-rated Phoenix boxer has had to bide her time since the Irish team travelled out to Maribor, having been granted a bye into the quarter-final stage of the 64kg competition, but Poland’s Oliwia Kummer lies in wait as Henderson bids to secure a first international medal.
Olympic, Mullingar’s Louise Joyce – one of Ireland’s flagbearers at the opening ceremony - is already a medallist even though she has yet to box. On Tuesday she takes on Ukraine’s Olha Miskho in the 36kg semi-final.
At 70kg, Ava Lannon (Dungarvan) has also received a bye to the last four, and will bid to change the colour of her medal against Ukraine’s Ilona Didenko on Wednesday. Unfortunately from an Ulster perspective, both Banbridge’s Paige Nickles and James Rooney (St John Bosco) exited the competition over the weekend.
And an intriguing Irish storyline emerged on Saturday when the Europeans hosted an all-Belfast clash between Immaculata’s Padraig Walsh and Owen McCann from nearby St John Bosco.
Where Walsh won the Irish cadet crown back in June, McCann – who was born in England - travels between London and Belfast, where he trains under Dee Walsh.
He has been involved with the English schools’ team for the past year after a registration error meant he was unable to compete in Ireland.
Faced with an extended spell out of the ring, McCann entered the England schools’ championships, which he won with Rainham Boxing Club, becoming the first Belfast boxer to win Irish and English Schoolboy crowns.
McCann came out on the right side of the all-Belfast battle to advance to Monday’s quarter-finals, where Scotland’s Zain Iqbal was up next in the 46kg last eight.
