Katie Taylor has backed Christina Desmond to become a future star following her European medal success.

The beaming smile was on Michael Conlan’s face before he even ducked between the ropes for his first Olympic contest.

Michael O’Reilly has been no stranger to controversy in the build-up to the Rio Olympics.

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.

Darren O’Neill is no stranger to adversity and hardship. For years he was landed with the label of Irish boxing’s bridesmaid.

Irish interim head coach Zaur Antia believes that Olympic champion Katie Taylor will record a comprehensive third straight win over one of her biggest rivals today.

Zaur Antia will guide Ireland’s boxers through to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro later this year after confirmation from Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy that the bid to find a permanent successor to Billy Walsh will not kick into gear until after the Games.

Zaur Antia revealed he rebuffed a number of coaching offers from rival countries before taking up his position as Irish boxing’s interim head coach.

Kenneth Egan fears the departure of Billy Walsh from Irish boxing could rock Irish boxing’s coaching structures as the Olympic silver medallist insisted a coherent, long-term succession plan must be put in place.

Ireland’s gold medal magnet Katie Taylor arrived home to a rapturous reception yesterday after winning her fifth World Elite lightweight title in Jeju, South Korea — and she is already targeting further success.

Billy Walsh has revealed he and Zaur Antia are staying on as Irish boxing’s chief coaches for Rio 2016 because they have some unfinished business — to finally bring home a men’s Olympic gold medal.

The Irish 2012 Olympic team and Katie Taylor scooped the top accolades at the Irish Amateur Boxing Association’s Annual Awards Night at the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin last night.

Michael Carruth has said he expects to see Billy Walsh and Zaur Antia re-appointed to their positions as head coach and technical coach of boxing’s High Performance Unit, but only after “a bit of niggling”.

Boxer Katie Taylor has received a number of offers to turn professional following her historic Olympic gold medal win in London earlier this month.

True story.

Olympic silver medallist John Joe Nevin insisted yesterday that Irish boxing cannot afford to lose coaches Billy Walsh or Zaur Antia and that everything possible should be done to keep the high performance team together.

Michael Conlan was fancied for a medal at these Olympics ever since he qualified at the world championships in Baku last November, when he was beaten by Andy Selby by just one point.

Just one boxer stands between Katie Taylor and a fourth successive world title after another thrilling day for the Irish at the women’s world boxing championships in Qinhuangdao yesterday.

Jockey Jason Behan’s three-year ban handed out by the British Horseracing Authority has been reciprocated by the Turf Club after he failed to turn up at a hearing.

Richard Hughes is leaving any possible next step to his legal team after the British Horseracing Authority published the reasons for rubberstamping the 50-day ban he was given in India.

WELTERWEIGHT Roy Sheahan steps into the ring against Carl Hield (Bahamas) in Baku today admitting he is more “excited about these world championships than I have been about any other tournament in my life”.

FINBARR KIRWAN, High Performance Director with the Irish Sports Council (ISC), praised not only the achievement of the Irish boxers at the European championships in Moscow but their commitment, the preparations and the team that masterminded the record medal haul.

EMPHATIC quarter-final victories for Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes and Athy lightweight Eric Donovan mean Ireland is assured of five bronze medals, with the opportunity to cash them in for silver, at least, in tomorrow’s semi-finals at the European Senior Boxing Championships in Moscow.

JOHN JOE NEVIN returns home tomorrow with a bronze medal from the world boxing championships after failing by just a single point in his bid to convert it to silver.

THERE is no big secret to the success of Irish boxing — just hard work, commitment, dedication and good coaching to develop the talent coming through the system — according to the President of the IABA, Dominic O’Rourke, who promised that there was more to come.

WHEN the Irish team assembled at O’Hare Airport for the return flight to Dublin after the world championships the atmosphere in the camp was one of tension as well as disappointment.

DARREN SUTHERLAND, Kenneth Egan and John Joe Joyce are just one fight away from Olympic qualification after an exciting day for the Irish team at the qualifying tournament in Athens.