Walsh says Ward a big threat to Egan title hopes

KENNY EGAN may have an Olympic silver medal but Ireland’s most decorated boxer of thisgeneration will face a difficultassignment in his quest for asensational 11th successive national senior title.

That’s according to Ireland’s High Performance Coach, Billy Walsh, who sees the Moate teenager, Joe Ward, putting forward a huge challenge to the Neilstown southpaw when the national senior championships get under way. The championships will be boxed over three weekends in February with the finals on February 25.

For the past couple of years another world youth medallist, Tommy McCarthy from Belfast, has been putting it up to Egan in national finals — moving a point or two closer each time without really threatening the dominance of the Dubliner.