O’Neill: Tragic death of Sutherland will inspire our team

Ireland boxing captain Darren O’Neill says the memory of tragic former middleweight rival Darren Sutherland will inspire the six-strong team to emulate Sutherland’s Olympic heroics at the London Games.

Sutherland was found dead in his London flat just one year after returning from Beijing with a bronze medal, and the death of such a popular character continues to have a profound impact on the close-knit Irish boxing community.

Sutherland had beaten O’Neill in the 2008 Irish Senior Championships to reach Beijing, and O’Neill insists he and the rest of the squad will have their former team-mate at the forefront of their minds in London.