RTÉ KO’s world title fight by Irish boxer

Perhaps a collective sadomasochistic streak throughout the nation is to blame.

Or maybe begrudgery has become such a national pastime that only Irish sportspeople who achieve unprecedented levels of humiliation warrant attention from our national broadcaster.

How else could one explain the wall-to-wall coverage of our national football team — which has spent the last fortnight getting spanked around Europe — and the complete lack of attention paid to Andy Lee, who contested a world title fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday last?