Tipp duo lend support to their Premier puncher
Corbett and Kelly were at the Trinity Boxing Club in Lower Manhattan yesterday morning, just a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center, lending their support to Matthew Macklin during an open media workout ahead of the biggest night of the fighter’s career.
The All-Ireland winning pair travelled to New York thanks to a joint venture by boxing promoter Brian Peters and Martin Donnelly, the sponsor of the GAA Interprovincial Championship, in a bid to drum up interest in Ireland ahead of his St Patrick’s Day challenge of Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden.
“We’ve moved on from it and that’s it,” Kelly told the Irish Examiner when asked about Corbett’s decision.
“Lar has said it to a lot of people: the way it is with work commitments and time, he just can’t give it all. The door is wide open for him and we’re all happy with that.”
The Tipperary duo were intrigued by the intensity of Macklin’s intense training routine as he pounded the pads with trainer Buddy McGirt.
“We would have played Tipperary underage together for a year or two,” Kelly recalled. “But the one vivid memory I have is of a South Minor hurling final when [Macklin] played for Ballingarry against us, Mullinahone. He was boxing the night before and one of the Ballingarry mentors went up to Dublin to collect him on the Saturday night so they’d have him for the match on the Sunday.
“That would show you how influential he was even as a 15-year-old playing minor. He actually scored three points that day and they actually beat us with a last minute goal. It was a drive well worth taking. He was the difference. He was one of their main forwards at the time and he was only 15.”
Although Corbett was himself tightlipped on the subject of his retirement, he acknowledged he wanted to give something back to the boxer who has been a vocal supporter of the Premier County even after turning professional.
“The main reason we’re here is for Matthew,” Corbett said. “As long as I was a player, 10, 11 years, he has been going to Tipp matches. Whether we were winning or losing, he was always there for us. So really we’re looking to return the favour.
“In life, no matter what sport you’re playing, it’s a great feeling to know there are people out there willing you on. So it’s good for him to know there really are people back home cheering him on. It was through Eoin that I got the opportunity to meet him first. As Tipperary people, we have never had anyone high-profile to shout for in boxing and Matthew is there now, a passionate supporter of Tipperary, a very nice guy, very unassuming.”
Kelly was encouraged that so much of Macklin’s training mirrored his own as an inter-county hurler.
“The one thing you’d take from him is his tunnel vision.
“I know it’s an individual sport but he knows what he wants out of each day and each training session. That’s something that you can take.
“With training and certain games, you may have to switch your focus to something different and that’s the way he approaches each training session. Different days he’d focus on different things.
“It’s great to hear that. He’s so focused, it’s unbelievable. You’d even know it just standing next to him. You can see he’s ready.”
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