It is 20 years ago this week since Irish boxer Michael Carruth won his gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics and he says he is happy to share the feeling with Katie Taylor, who made history by winning gold in London yesterday.

All eyes will be on Ireland's golden girl Katie Taylor when she makes her Olympic debut this afternoon.

THE most sobering aspect of Thursday night was that, really, this was how it felt to be insignificant. This was how it felt to be a Honduras 2010, a Costa Rica 2006 – in other words, one of the worst teams in a tournament.

LUKE THOMAS benefited from training alongside the three Cork-based Cuban professionals when he won his third successive national juvenile boxing title at the National Stadium last week.

IN my three weeks travelling throughout Germany for this newspaper during the World Cup almost four years ago, I met a kaleidoscope of interesting characters.

THE emphasis will be on the four Irish title fights on the bill, but Cork-based Cuban knockout sensation, Alexei Acosta, is sure to claim a fair share of the limelight when he steps up in class to box former world champion, Felix Machado, in a unique Latin-American duel on the Yanjing Fight Night at the National Stadium tomorrow night.

THE Olympic Games have lost much of their glamour over the drug cheats.

IRISH boxing embraced a new star at the weekend as the jet-lagged Cuban southpaw sensation, Ismaikel ‘Mike’ Perez was ringside for the national senior championship finals in Dublin just hours after he touched down at Cork Airport.

FORMER world amateur heavyweight champion, Mike ‘El Rebellio’ Perez, is set to make Cork the base from which he will challenge the world professional heavyweight title in a dramatic move that is sure to send shockwaves throughout the boxing world.

AFTER Ireland’s defeat to Italy in the quarter-final of the 1990 World Cup, Charlie Haughey went down on the field to salute the Irish crowd, but he was roundly booed.

Three-time 100 metres world champion Maurice Greene insists he is more motivated by helping the United States to a world record in the sprint relay than gaining revenge over the British at the World Championships starting on Saturday.

Barry Coughlan

Leinster and Ireland forward Victor Costello is to retire from competitive rugby at the end of the season.

“DETERMINATION, a will to win and absolute courage” were the essence of Paul Darragh the rider,” Col Ned Campion said yesterday.

The Irish men’s hockey team begin their European Championship campaign in Barcelona on Monday against Spain in a game that could shape their ultimate destiny in the competition.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA delivered a chilling message to Sugar Shane Mosley ahead of their September 13 rematch when he stopped Mexican Yory Boy Campas in seven rounds to retain his WBC/WBA light-middleweight titles at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.

Oscar De La Hoya delivered a chilling message to Sugar Shane Mosley ahead of their September 13 rematch when he stopped Mexican Yory Boy Campas in seven rounds to retain his WBC/WBA light-middleweight titles at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.

Irish boxer Wayne McCullough is to sue the British Boxing Board of Control following its refusal to grant him a licence to fight in October 2000.

The former boxing world champion, Wayne McCullough has had his bid for a