Big hitters going straight into action

IRELAND could have as many as five boxers in action, including two of the big hopes — welterweight Roy Sheahan and middleweight Darren Sutherland — when the first session of the world championships gets under way at the UIC in Chicago this evening (8pm Irish time).

Welterweight Roy Sheahan, a gold medallist at the EU championships last June, has fully recovered from a hand injury.

However Australian physiotherapist Scott Murphy has been working on a shoulder problem in recent days.

“Scott has done wonderful work with him and the problem had cleared up fully.

“He was able to take full part in the sparring over the weekend,” High Performance Director Gary Keegan said.

“At 75 kgs it appears as if eight boxers will line out on Day 1 with 60 byes. If Darren (Sutherland) is fortunate enough to get a bye, he will box on Thursday and, if he should not get a bye, he will have a rest day before his second contest.”

The big punching Dubliner, however, will not have an easy path to the quarter-finals as he could have as many as four contests before claiming Olympic qualification.

Roy Sheahan could also have as many as four before fulfilling the first part of his mission out here.

It appears as if the other big Irish hope for qualification, light heavyweight Kenneth Egan, will not go into action until Friday but — if he should get a bye — two fights could take him to the quarter-finals.

With so much hanging on the luck of the draw, Gary Keegan insists that any of the Irish boxers could qualify.

He was particularly impressed by the progress made over the last few months by light flyweight Paddy Barnes, from the Holy Family/Golden Gloves club in Belfast.

“In fact he has been a revelation,” Keegan said.

“He has grown in confidence, his technique has improved so much and his development has been just amazing.

“The exciting thing about him is that two contests could take him to the quarter-finals and Olympic qualification.”