Hard act to follow as Nevin fights to maintain winning sequence

NOT so long ago John Joe Nevin was being groomed as a London 2012 prospect, but today he will climb into the Olympic boxing ring at the Workers Gymnasium as a big medal prospect for Beijing.

Fellow Mullingar man John Joe Joyce has left the teenager — he turned 19 years of age in June — with a very difficult act to follow when he turned the tables on his longtime tormentor, Gyula Kate, in a thrilling fight to claim his place among the last 16 light welterweights.

A place in the last 16 bantamweights will be the prize when John Joe Nevin takes on Adbdelhalim Ourradi of Algeria in tonight’s preliminaries (3.30pm approx) and, while he faces a vastly more experienced opponent, one could never dismiss his chances.