Arigo Sacchi, the great Italian football coach, once said football is the “most important of the least important things in life”.

Joe Ward will meet New Orleans light-heavy Patrick Pierre in his comeback fight at Boston’s House of Blues on March 14.

Vladimir Nikitin's attempt to rile an already fired up Michael Conlan ahead of tomorrow night's rematch at New York's Madison Square Garden doesn't appear to be working.

Jason Quigley has linked up with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee ahead of his return to action.

Joe Ward is confident that his amateur pedigree will furnish him with further international success on the pro scene.

Hundreds of mourners, including stars from the world of boxing paid their respects at the removal of boxing champion Kevin Sheehy in Limerick this evening.

Garda sources said that, as part of several lines of inquiry, they were investigating if Kevin Sheehy, (20), from John Carew Park, Limerick, was specifically targeted.

Andy Lee says a return to boxing’s frontline was too hard to turn down because he believes new protege Paddy Donovan has all the ingredients to win a world title.

A book that was rejected by 13 separate publishers — The Lost Soul of Eamonn Magee — has won the 2018 eir Sports Book of the Year award.

Andy Lee this year called time on his ground-breaking, 39-fight career which ultimately gleaned the world middleweight title but he is never too far from the sport which enveloped his life for the best part of three decades. This weekend, the Limerick man is in Los Angeles as his long-time friend Tyson Fury challenges bookmakers’ favourite Deontay Wilder for the WBC heavyweight title and Lee is not ruling out an upset, writes Declan Taylor

Eir Sport have announced the longlist of 23 nominees for the eir Sport Book of the Year award.

Two books by pioneering female sports stars are included on the six-book shortlist.

We’ll also take a look at why things are looking prickly for Ireland's hedgehogs, and there’ll be music from The Blizzards and Phil Coulter.

If I mention the race for the Áras, will you turn the page? You won’t? Many thanks.

It’s funny to consider how much talk there is about hands in Irish sport once you concentrate on it, writes Michael Moynihan

Katie Taylor has vowed to unify the titles versus Argentina’s Victoria La Leona (The Lioness) Bustos in New York next month

Here's your morning news bulletin...

Andy Lee has announced his retirement from boxing after a much-admired career in both the amateur and pro ranks.

Most of us would be thrilled to be granted the one wish — and even a genie only offers three — but Irish sport is a vast tent that covers many tribes so here are 10 stories we hope to see written in the 12 months to come.

Horse sports received plenty of recognition at the RTÉ Sports Awards on Saturday night, but it was James McClean who collected the top award.

Trainer Adam Booth has claimed Belfast’s Ryan Burnett will be ruthless in his bid to become a history-maker in his hometown tonight.

Andy Lee has hailed Ryan Burnett’s upcoming world-title unification Belfast bout as the “biggest fight to ever happen in Ireland”.

In another world, Ryan Burnett might already be a household name in Irish sport had the Belfast native opted against turning professional under Ricky Hatton four years ago at the tender age of 21.

Limerick’s former WBO World middleweight champion Andy Lee returned to the ring with an unanimous decision victory over KeAndrae Leatherwood at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Andy Lee returned to the ring with a whisper more so than a bang following a 15-month absence.

Inherent in Andy Lee’s make-up is a remarkable and understated ability to bounce back from adversity.

Lost somewhere amidst the furore surrounding Michael Conlan’s professional bows at Madison Square Garden on St Patrick’s Day, Limerick’s former WBO world middleweight champion Andy Lee returns to the ring after a 16-month absence.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Jason Quigley is desperate to make his mark in what he predicts will be remembered as the golden era of Irish professional boxing.

Tonight, Andy Lee will walk out as the ‘away’ fighter in his first world-title defence when he takes on England’s undefeated Billy Joe Saunders at the Manchester Arena. 

Billy Joe Saunders believes the placid build-up to his bout against Andy Lee tonight will work in his favour.

AIBA World No. 3 ranked middleweight Michael O’Reilly secured his third successive Elite title at the National Stadium in Dublin last night.

For the second time inside 11 months, Dean Walsh and Ray Moylette will clash in the standout bout at the finals of the National Elite Championships, but there is more on the line than national pride tonight (live on TG4 from 7.30pm).

Andy Lee says he will target Gennady Golovkin, arguably the most feared boxer on the planet, once he gets past mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders.

Billy Walsh was tightlipped about his future with Irish boxing yesterday, referring simply to a “plan for Rio” when asked if he would steer the Irish boxers to next year’s Olympics. The Wexford man has been strongly linked to the US women’s team but at yesterdays BGE Leadership Conference he focused on the development of the Irish boxing team.

Andy Lee’s world middleweight title defence against Billy Joe Saunders has been postponed again but there is no chance of the rearranged fight being staged in Ireland, according to promoter Frank Warren.

Victor Raul Capacita is being lined up as the opponent for John Joe Nevin’s first fight since last November in New York next Tuesday.

Andy Lee admits the cancellation of his dream homecoming world title defence has boosted Billy Joe Saunders’ chance of victory, after the fight was rearranged to take place in Manchester.

Following the shock decision to cancel the Andy Lee-Billy Joe Saunders fight at Thomond Park, a former mayor of Limerick speculated yesterday that ‘the Hand of God’ could have played a part, as it did for footballer Diego Maradona in 1986.

Promoter Frank Warren claims he is open to the possibility of a rematch between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders taking place in Limerick next year after their world-title bout, originally fixed for Thomond Park next month, was last night postponed for an October date in Manchester.

Katie Taylor has been left bitterly disappointed, according to her father and trainer Peter, after it was confirmed the Olympic champion will not feature on the undercard of Andy Lee’s world-title defence at Thomond Park next month.