As key stakeholders in rugby convene in Dublin tomorrow about a ‘world’ league that seems more concerned with concentrating and increasing the wealth for its bluebloods than spreading the word to the unconverted and the cash to the marginalised, it has probably escaped rather than focused their minds that the deciding game in Europe’s biggest international competition is once again between one nation with a population of just 6.6 million and another with just 3.1 million.

Outside the National Sports Campus, people like Liam Harbison don’t register, a bit like the powerbrokers pulling the strings in the West Wing. Dubliner Harbison is the ‘chief of staff’, one of the most powerful and influential people in an Irish sporting landscape that has capitalised on the political fallout following the Rio Olympics.

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The hand of history will be on Kellie Harrington’s shoulder tomorrow when she meets Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee for the AIBA World Elite lightweight title in New Delhi, India.

Kurt Walker stunned England’s European Elite champion, Peter McGrail, to claim the European Union Elite 56kg title in Valladolid, Spain, last night.

Michaela Walsh and Kellie Harrington’s bid to become the only Irish female fighters beside Katie Taylor to reach a European Elite final ended on split decision reversals in Sofia, Bulgaria yesterday.

Michaela Walsh and Kellie Harrington chase history in today’s European Elite Women’s semi-finals in Sofia.

Michaela Walsh guaranteed Ireland at least bronze at the European Elite Women’s Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, yesterday.

Katie Taylor, the IBF and WBA lightweight champion, is “ready to fight” on July 28 despite the shooting of father Peter in her hometown of Bray this week.

Bernard Dunne, the Irish Athletic Boxing Association’s high-performance director, is unperturbed about a supposed talent drain from Irish boxing. Instead, he insists a fresh team are already on course for great things, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Bernard Dunne has hit out at the lack of coverage afforded to Joe Ward after the 23-year old captured his sixth major championship medal last week.

Joe Ward’s quest for World Elite gold ended at the hands of a familiar foe in Hamburg, Germany on Saturday night, but the Westmeath southpaw reckons time is on his side.

Zaur Antia claims he has not set a minimum medals tally for Team Ireland at the World Championships, insisting the squad will maintain their “one-fight-at-a-time” approach to the competition.

Performances in the ring will ultimately dictate whether Bernard Dunne’s remit as Irish amateur boxing’s high performance director is a success but the former world champion has already recorded a pair of notable successes outside the ropes.

Newly crowned European Elite champion Joe Ward is being targeted by pro promoters in the countdown to the World Elite Championships which begin in Hamburg, Germany, on August 25.

Irish Athletic Boxing Association chief executive Fergal Carruth has described this week’s crunch talks at the National Stadium as “positive,” as the organisation forced a new rulebook over the line in order to meet a June 30 deadline set by Sport Ireland.

Irish Athletic Boxing Association officials were last night locked in talks at the National Stadium in an attempt to cease the organisation’s much-publicised civil war.

A member of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association’s divided Board of Directors has predicted that a dispute between the organisation’s two warring factions will end up in court.

Punches were finally thrown in the ring at the National Stadium last night as a mooted box-off to decide Ireland’s super-heavyweight representative at next month’s European Championships resulted in a split-decision victory for Dean Gardiner.

THE dysfunction within some aspects of Irish sport which bedevilled the Rio Olympics has a way to go to being fully explained and comprehended by those watching, sometimes aghast, at home. 

Earlier this week, a box-off to decide Ireland’s super-heavyweight representative for next month’s European Championships was mooted to take place this evening. Instead of that fight taking centre stage, Irish boxing has been hit by yet another crisis — one which could last a far longer distance than the three rounds originally expected to be contested between Martin Keenan and Dean Gardiner at the National Stadium.

Leonard Gunning is promoting an event that, in terms of the number of fights, is the biggest professional boxing show in Irish history. He tells Pádraig Hoare about the business of sports promotion

Bernard Dunne admitted he would need to fully immerse himself in his new role as High Performance Director at the IABA in order to gain a grasp of the changes required within the Irish amateur boxing realm.

Even if Wembley Stadium is only half-full at the time she takes to the ring, Katie Taylor is still likely to be boxing in front of her biggest ever crowd at Wembley tomorrow.

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Bernard Dunne is confident there are plenty of coaches good enough to fill the void in Irish boxing’s high performance unit after the loss of Eddie Bolger to Germany.

Katie Taylor marked her decision to turn professional with a declaration of intent, claiming she is “ready to conquer” the paid game just as she has done in amateur boxing.

It is being reported that Katie Taylor will fight twice as a professional before Christmas.

Shortly after he was appointed as Antrim’s new strength and conditioning coach last October, Brian Magee implored the players to aim high.

Clodagh Finn talks to former world champion boxer Bernard Dunne about the benefits of exercise and healthy eating in the workplace.

It might have only lasted 13 seconds but the reaction to Conor McGregor brutally knocking out José Aldo went around the world for hours.

The best of tonight's telly

Joique Bell’s arms stretch behind his head as if pulled by an individual rope.

When Jim Gavin admits he’s not a defensive coach, it might come across as peculiar that he added Jason Sherlock to his backroom team this season with a brief on improving Dublin’s attack. 

It is said the mark of a true champion is an amalgam of excellence, respect, and humility.

Matthew Macklin may have been born in England but is very much a proud Irishman

Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was… Same as it ever was.

The iceberg that is Kiko Martinez will be in the opposite corner to Carl Frampton tonight, in a ring which stands on the slipway from which the Titanic was launched.

Kiko Martinez refused to get drawn into another war of words with Belfast’s Carl Frampton yesterday, but a tense atmosphere hung over their final pre-fight press conference ahead of tomorrow night’s world-title showdown.