Fergal Carruth: Irish Athletic Boxing Association is the Joe show

Irish Athletic Boxing Association chief executive Fergal Carruth has described this week’s crunch talks at the National Stadium as “positive,” as the organisation forced a new rulebook over the line in order to meet a June 30 deadline set by Sport Ireland.

As might have been expected given the fissures within the IABA, however, Wednesday night’s meeting hardly passed without incident. It’s understood that the Munster Council’s Gerry O’Mahony did not contribute to the meeting; he was asked to leave early having refused to recognise Joe Christle as chairman.

O’Mahony was the only director present to reject Christle’s chairmanship, with president Pat Ryan - who had previously supported claimant David O’Brien in the dispute - switching allegiance to the incumbent Christle.