Walsh blasts timing of World team selection

HIGH Performance Coach Billy Walsh will travel to a training camp in Assisi, Italy tomorrow with 16 boxers after failing in his bid to have Saturday’s meeting of the IABA’s Central Council brought forward to select the team for the World Championships.

IABA President Tommy Murphy said yesterday the team for the worlds would be confirmed following ameeting of the Boxing Councilbeginning at 11am on Saturdaymorning. Simultaneously, it was announced a squad of 16 will leave for Assisi tomorrow morning.

The squad includes all the winners from last week’s box-off as well as the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist and last year’s European and Commonwealth champion, Paddy Barnes, this year’s two European champions, Joe Ward and Ray Moylette, middleweight Darren O’Neill who was a European silver medallist last year, and world bronze medallist, John Joe Nevin.