Troubled Egan should ‘refocus on boxing’

BERNARD DUNNE said he was disappointed Kenny Egan won’t be appearing on the undercard to his world title fight at the Hunky Dorys Fight Night in the O2 on March 21.

According to promoter, Brian Peters, the Olympic champion, Xiaoping Zhang, had accepted the bout which would have been a repeat of the final in Beijing.

“I really am disappointed Kenny (Egan) is not on the card,” Dunne said yesterday. “It is a big blow for him as well because it was a chance for him to get to fight in the 02 in front of a big crowd on national TV.

“Now he has blown a big opportunity. Let’s hope he gets himself back on track and gets refocused on what he’s good at and that’s boxing. He is a fantastic talent. He just needs to not be distracted so much.”

Egan’s coach Gerry Fleming and the Irish Amateur Boxing Association were instrumental in working with the President of the Chinese Boxing Federation Chang Jianping to secure the fight.

But yesterday, as Bernard Dunne went through a public training session at the High Performance Unit, Peters was meeting with the IABA at South Circular Road to sort out difficulties that had arisen because of Egan’s withdrawal following a week of controversy in which he failed to show for the international against the USA.

“It was disappointing for everyone involved including Xiaoping Zhang who was really looking forward to coming to Dublin,” Peters said. “However I’m sure it’s even more disappointing for Kenny to have to withdraw but the show will go on.”

He was referring to the other amateur stars who will box on the undercard in an historic amateur-professional mix.

Two-time world and European lightweight champion, Katie Taylor, will box Caroline Barry from the USA. They last met at the world championships in New Delhi in 2006. Taylor stopped Barry on the 15 point rule and went on to win her first world title.

Olympic bronze medallist, Paddy Barnes, will also appear on the bill but an opponent has yet to be named. World youths champion, Ray Moylett, will meet Robert Gorman from the Bracken club in Dublin. The Westport teenager beat Gorman in his first senior contest in the quarter finals of the national senior championships before losing to Eric Donovan, in the semi-finals.