Motivational Speaker

No-one has made it to London yet. That’s one of the first things Billy Walsh reminds people when he senses another eulogy about the Irish boxers coming along and how the medal conveyer belt is bound to roll along all the way to London and beyond.

People have no idea how tough it is to make it to 2012. Last time, you had three tournaments, three chances, to make it. This time there’s only two. First up are the world championships in Azerbaijan in September. There’s going to be a huge entry at it; you’ll probably have to win four fights in only six days to qualify for the big show next summer.

Then you have one more chance at next April’s qualifying tournament in Turkey. And even making it to the last four there mightn’t be enough; if six Europeans make the last eight in your weight in Azerbaijan, you’ll have to take gold or silver in Turkey. Even Katie Taylor isn’t a certainty; if she doesn’t string five good performances together in China next May, if she’s food poisoned that week, that’s it, it’s gone for four more long years.