Nevin rises to the challenge

IT was going to take a cool and calculated performance to see him join the other four members of the Irish boxing team in the last 16 and John Joe Nevin provided just that to outpoint the experienced Algerian Abdelhalim Ourradi 9-4 yesterday.

The fact that the pair had met before — the Algerian winning on a countback — meant it was going to be a tactical affair, but the 19-year-old Mullingar bantamweight, an Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star award winner this year, settled into it with a maturity way beyond his years.

He got through with a couple of accurate left jabs in the first round but none were registered and it was early in the second round before he scored his first points from a three-punch combination and a big right hand to the head. Another left jab left him leading 3-0 at the end of the second. Then, as the Algerian fought back for two points, Nevin got a public warning for holding and lost two to trail 4-3 before Ourradi was given a public warning for using his head and Nevin led 6-4 going into the final round.

Nevin was now at his brilliant best, slipping punches, making his opponent miss and scoring with the left hook to the body and right hand to the head.

“I was surprised before the fight that I never believed in myself because I knew I could beat him,” said Nevin afterwards. “He beat me two months ago, but I’m getting very well looked after here with the high performance team and by Gerry Hussey, the sports psychologist.

“It all helps in the end. I need that kind of help to get me to perform out there, and that’s all I’m really looking to do — perform.

“I got off to a slow start but then this is the big stage — the Olympics, I’m only 19 but I’m getting over it, and hopefully next fight will be better.

“I was not getting much joy with my jabs but then the lads started saying straight to the body, right hand to the head and it worked every time, but it was just a matter of getting it off. They were right, when I started getting it off it was working.”

Nevin is not concerned with the pressure brought about by the fact that all five boxers are now through to what is really the business end of the tournament.

“You just concentrate on yourself,” he said. “You are there to support the lads, but when you’re inside in the ring, you concentrate on yourself and doing your job.

“I am delighted to get over the first contest. People tend to underestimate me because I’m only 19 and I might not get a medal but I’m out here to perform. If the performance is good enough the medals will look after themselves.

“I did not think 12 months ago I would be here at the Olympic Games. I was just looking for a senior title and that was my only concern. I’m in the Olympics now and it is unbelievable.”

Head coach, Billy Walsh, said there was a lot of tension in Nevin’s body yesterday but their sports psychologist, Gerry Hussey, worked with him all afternoon.

“I was talking to him going into the ring, trying to get him to relax because everyone is at their best when they are relaxed,” he said.

“He didn’t get the combinations. His timing is excellent normally but today it wasn’t what it should be.

“But he’s in the tournament now. The next guy is probably going to be the world silver medallist so John Joe is back in a situation where he’s a nobody going in. It is a big stage for these guys, especially him, he’s a baby. He’s very quiet and shy, he’s a funny lad and a smart cookie too.

“We are certainly getting it right this week. Maybe it’s because John Joe Joyce’s mother is in Lourdes. We’ve a good squad of lads. We’re working very hard every day on the little things, trying to make sure everything is right for them so there can be no excuses not to go in and perform.

“We try to cover everything and every little thing counts of course. There’s not maybe enough of us to cover everything but we try. We’ve copies of everyone who is fighting out here and we are studying them every time and trying to work out tactics to beat them.

“The guys are all very confident. They have been in the toughest training camp in the world in Russia and they came out of that with flying colours and if you don’t get confidence from that you will never have confidence.

“Kenny Egan was in Padraig Harrington’s house last year. He sat down with him to talk about his mental strength, how he worked it. Kenny says today ‘Jesus, that talk I had with Padraig worked really well’.

John Joe Nevin now meets Mongolia’s Athlete of the Year, Badar-Uugan Enkhbat, who created something of a surprise by outpointed a smart little Mexican, Oscar Valdez, 15-4 last night. That contest for a place in the quarter-finals takes place next Monday.