All may have appeared to have changed utterly in Irish boxing, but the presence of veteran Darren O’Neill in tonight’s National Elite Championship finals is both a link to glories of the recent past as well as the possibility of a brighter future.

Irish head coach Zaur Antia believes Michael O’Reilly and Dean Gardiner can take another step towards Olympic qualification tonight after Darren O’Neill’s dream of reaching a second Games ended yesterday.