Meeting will decide remaining place in European Championships

The Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) have arranged a specially convened bout to decide the one remaining place on the Irish team for the European Union Championships which will take place at the National Stadium in Dublin next month. (June 17th to 25th).

Gary Keegan, who directs the IABAs High Performance programme, today (May 31st) confirmed that Aodh Carlyle and John Joe Joyce would meet in a 64Kg trial bout on June 9th next.

Whoever wins the specially convened showdown will claim the light welterweight berth on the Irish squad for the European Championships which will feature at least nineteen nations at the National Stadium.

Joyce, from the St Michael's Athy club, is the reigning national lightweight champion, while Carlyle, of the Golden Cobra club in Dublin, is the current light welterweight title holder.

The IABA today (May 31st) announced an eleven man squad for the tournament which will be attended by World Amateur Boxing (AIBA) President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Light heavyweight Ken Egan and Roy Sheehan have overcome hand injuries, to take their place in the panel which will contain nine Irish senior champions once the Joyce/Carlyle trial is completed.

But reigning featherweight champ David Oliver Joyce is still out injured and has been replaced by Carl Frampton form the Midlands White City club in Belfast.

Egan, from the Neilstown club in Dublin, will be targeting his fourth medal at the Championships having already won gold, silver and bronze at this level in the last four years.

He said: "We are all looking forward to the European Union Championships as we will be boxing at home and there will be a great atmosphere at the National Stadium.

"I am back in contact training and I am very eager to get some competitive action under my belt and the European Union Championships will be ideal in that respect as there are some top class nations taking part."

The IABA will hold a press conference at the Trinity Capital Hotel in Pearse Street Dublin on June 7th next (3pm to 7pm Room 26) to announce details of the European Union Championships.

Meanwhile, the international Round Robin Championships gets underway at the Stadium tomorrow evening (June 1) at 6pm. Boxing will recommence on Saturday at the same time before concluding on Sunday.

Ireland, Germany, Sweden and Lithuania will be competing over the three days at the Stadium.

Irish European Union Championships Squad

48Kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)

51Kg: Conor Ahern (Baldoyle)

54Kg: Ryan Lindberg (Immaculata)

57Kg: Carl Frampton (Midlands White City)

60Kg: Eric Donovan (St Michael's Athy)

64Kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michael's Athy) or Aodh Carlyle (Golden Cobra)

69Kg: Roy Sheehan (St Michael's Athy)

75Kg: Darren Sutherland (St Saviours OBA)

81Kg: Ken Egan (Neilstown)

91Kg: John Sweeney (Dungloe)

91Kg+: Cathal McMonagle (Trinity)